Misery Bay, reviewed

It's been a while since the last Alex McKnight novel, and it was worth the wait. Author Steve Hamilton (recent Edgar Award winner) does a good job of slipping back into the familiar characters and settings of the series, while still keeping it fresh. He feeds you just enough information from past books to refresh your memory, while also helping out first-time readers of the series. (So, you don't need to have read earlier novels to enjoy this one.) Some of the usual, secondary characters of past books just appear in minor roles here (like Leon, McKnight's ex PI partner), but their use is natural and not forced; their appearance fits and enhances the plot line.

And what is the plot? It starts with the suicide of a college student. Chief of Police Roy Maven, McKnight's occasional nemesis, asks McKnight to look into the suicide, who was the son of Maven's ex-partner, see if there is anything more to it. Of course, there is. When more suicides happen—along with the murders of the suicides' fathers (all ex or current cops)—Maven and McKnight begin to believe that Maven himself may be in danger, not to mention Maven's daughter. A race against time to find the killer begins.

In between some of the chapters are neat, one page movie directions, spoken by an unknown director that really gives the book a scary, intriguing mood. It's a good concept that works, and adds to the overall mystery and tension. As usual, the setting is Michigan's upper peninsula (UP), which, especially in winter, gives the story a bleak, desolate feel. Hamilton's writing is excellent, and moves along at a good, quick pace, no wasted words wasted here. A new, deeper relationship has developed between McKnight and Maven, and it will be interesting to see how Hamilton handles this in future novels.

Misery Bay is an excellent, fast-paced mystery. I wouldn't be surprised if another Edgar is in Hamilton's future.

4 Stars

Wahoo Rhapsody, reviewed

In what will surely become a series, author Shaun Morey has written a fun first novel in Wahoo Rhapsody, full of many memorable characters, outrageous situations, and funny dialogue. The setting is Cabo San Lucas, off the coast of Mexico. The main character is the eccentric Atticus Fish, a filthy-rich American expatriate who owns a fishing boat left in the capable hands of old friend Captain Winston (who once saved Atticus's life). Unfortunately, the first mate (Weevil) decides he wants to secretly run marijuana for a Mexican drug lord. As if that's not bad enough, he then decides to rip off said drug dealer. Having a bumbling grad student on the crew isn't helping matters for Weevil, either. There are too many characters and plot lines to list here, but the chapters are short, the story barrels along at a fast pace, all the plots are entwined, and everything comes together for the big finale.

Other reviewers have compared Morey to Carl Hiaasen, and I agree, but fans of Tim Dorsey, Christopher Moore, Bill Fitzhugh should also give this novel a look. AmazonEncore (the program that identifies exceptional yet overlooked books and works with the authors to re-introduce their books to readers) has made a wise decision publishing this novel, as it looks like they can have a successful series on their hands. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one, and Morey has created a great pool of characters to draw from as needed.

Faith, reviewed

Faith, the new novel by Jennifer Haigh, deals with the molestation charge against a Boston priest, and how it affects him and his family. In the hands of a less-skilled author than Haigh, a "ripped from the headlines" novel like this can easily sink into cliches and rely on stereotypes. But the author does a great job of fleshing out the characters, the major ones and the minor ones, feeding the reader information as needed, building their characters and motivations through actions and well-written dialogue.

Unlike the film Doubt, this isn't necessarily a did-he-or-didn't-he story. It focuses on the interplay and history of characters more. Regardless of innocence or guilt, the story focuses on the faith people have in their family, and themselves (and their religion, of course). Not everything is always as it seems, Haigh keeps you guessing, and even has a few surprises along the way.

My only complaint is the author's choice of using the priest's sister Sheila as the narrator of the story. In the beginning it kept me, the reader, at a distance. Like I was hearing the story secondhand. I got used to it by the second half of the book, and I understand why she chose to do this. It was to make it more personal—someone from the family was telling the priest's story. So maybe I was okay with the author using this device to tell the story after all; I just didn't find the narrator's voice particularly compelling, or her character very interesting. In fact, out of all the well-drawn characters, hers was the least developed.

I had never read anything by Haigh before, but she is an excellent writer, and I will have to pick up her earlier novels.

Bottom of the 33rd, reviewed

I just read a great baseball book. Check out my review over at At Home Plate.

Cool baseball site

If you're a baseball fan, you'll want to check out At Home Plate. They've got articles, book reviews, and a blog. You can read a special review of the Jeter biography I did for them here.

2030, by Albert Brooks

I'm a fan of filmmaker Albert Brooks (his movie Lost in America is still one of my all-time favorite comedies). He's a writer, director, actor, and has done voice work for The Simpsons. So when I saw that he had written a novel--and I had the opportunity to get an advance reading copy from the Amazon Vine program--I jumped on it.

2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America takes a look at the problems America is facing now, and moves them forward nineteen years. Of course, most things are worse in the not-too-distant future. The country is deeper in debt, young people are more disillusioned, and a 9.0 earthquake has leveled L.A., for which America has to borrow money from China to rebuild. Even the seemingly good stuff--like the long awaited cure for cancer--has bad elements (old people are now living much longer, and draining the health care system).

From his filmmaking, I expected this novel to be a comedy. It's not, though Brooks's trademark humor is evident throughout, especially in some of the dialogue which, not surprisingly for a scriptwriter, is sharp and realistic.

Brooks does an excellent job of weaving the disparate story lines of his various main characters together. There is eighty year-old Brad Miller who loses everything in the earthquake; twenty year-old Kathy Bernard who is saddled with her father's exorbitant medical bills; and U.S. President Bernstein, who is frantically trying to plug all the holes that are appearing in the dam that is America--not to mention his personal life, and his looming re-election campaign.

Brooks keeps the action moving, and the chapters short. Each individual story line pushes the whole plot forward, but not predictably, so even though the reader has an idea of where it might be heading, Brooks still keeps you guessing, and takes some chances so as not to make the whole story feel pat.

This is a strong first novel by Albert Brooks; I hope there will be many more!

The Captain, by Ian O'Connor

This advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided to me by the publisher through the Amazon Vine program, of which I am a member.

~

I'm a Yankee fan, and Derek Jeter is my favorite player. So maybe I was predisposed to like this book. On the other hand, if author Ian O'Connor didn't get his facts straight, I'd know, and call him on it. But O'Connor did an excellent job of research, and adding in quotes and stats and examples without ever getting wordy or boring or redundant. He gives us a peek behind the curtain of Jeter's life in chronological order and keeps it interesting throughout. This despite the fact that Jeter has not exactly led a controversial life.

We're used to the scandalous biography, the tell-all, the skeletons dragged out of the closet. This book doesn't have that. Because there are no skeletons in Jeter's closet. This is a book about one person's lifelong work to achieve a dream: to play shortstop for the New York Yankees. Okay, so maybe a lot of people have that dream. The difference is Jeter actually accomplished it--and in a big way. This is his story.

There are thirteen chapters, an introduction, and an epilogue. O'Connor covers all the bases (pardon the pun), and is such a good writer that the story flows along nicely, without getting bogged down with boring details, or unnecessary tangents. He even makes the second chapter, "The Draft," exciting (even though we already know the outcome), as he chronicles how Jeter lasted until the sixth pick of the 1992 draft, when the Yanks were finally able to nab him. Only once did O'Connor get a little off-track; that's when he spent too long on the Jeffrey Maier incident. Well, not such much the incident, as the fame and media tour Maier and his family went on afterward, and what led him to getting a ticket to the game to begin with (Maier was the 12 year-old fan who leaned over the wall and caught Jeter's homerun ball during the '96 ALCS).

The subtitle of this book is "The Journey of Derek Jeter," and that's exactly what it is. From his boyhood dream of playing for the Yankees, to the reality of leading the team to five championships, the most recent of which (2009) as the team's captain.

But this book isn't just about Jeter's journey--it's also about the journey of Jeter's Yankees, from his first season as a full-time player (1996), through the dynasty years, to his relationship with other Yankees (Joe Torre, Alex Rodriguez), to the new ballpark and World Series win in 2009, and on up to and including the 2010 season, and his contract negotiation afterward.

THE CAPTAIN is an inspirational book about hard work, family, and believing in yourself.

The Garner Files

Here's a book I'm really looking forward to reading. One of my all-time favorite actors, James Garner, best known as the star of the classic TV P.I. show The Rockford Files, has written a memoir. Simon & Schuster will publish THE GARNER FILES on November 8, 2011.

Here's a cool scene from The Rockford Files. Garner did a lot of his own stunt driving:

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) key dates

These are the key dates for the upcoming rounds of ABNA. There are two categories, General Fiction and YA. So when they say the next round is 100 Semifinalists, they mean 50 in General and 50 in YA. The finalists will be 3 General, 3 YA, Currently, Publisher's Weekly is reviewing the full manuscripts of the semifinalists (of which my novel is one). My excerpt can be read here.

April 26, 2011
Top 100 (Semifinalists) announced at www.amazon.com/abna.
Penguin Editors reading Semi-Finalists' manuscripts to pick the 6 Finalists

Amazon customers continue to download, rate, and review Excerpts, and read Publishers Weekly reviews of Semi-Finalists' full Manuscripts

May 24, 2011
6 Finalists announced
Amazon customers vote to pick the Winners

June 13, 2011
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Winners announced

ABNA-I made the Quarterfinals!

Amazon announced the quarter-finalists in their fourth annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) contest, and I am on the list! From the original batch of 5,000 entries, it was first narrowed down to 1,000 (this was the pitch/query stage), and now, after the excerpt stage, there are just 250 novels left standing. The results of the next round will be announced on April 26th, which will then narrow the field down to 50. The eventual winner gets their book published by Penguin and a $15K advance.

Congrats to all the authors who are moving forward!

My excerpt can be read here.

I Love You More Than You Know

I'm a Jonathan Ames fan. I love his novels and his essays. The guy just flat-out cracks me up. I haven't read him in a while, so I really enjoyed this collection (Black Cat, Grove/Atlantic 2006). It was somehow comforting to know he is still obsessed with certain things about himself--his itchy ass, his baldness, his bathroom problems, his "cataloging of his ruination" as he moves into middle age. His self-deprecating humor is blunt, bawdy, outrageous, and hilarious. It appeals to my 12 year-old boy sense of humor. But mixed in with these funny essays are a few downright touching ones, like "Snowfall" which is about the death of a friend who Ames had lost touch with, and the two essays that discuss his close relationship with his great-aunt Doris. All in all a good, quick, engaging, satisfying read.

Into the Sunset entered in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. Again.

Amazon is holding their fourth annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) contest. The winners of the contest get published by Penguin USA and a $15,000 contract. There are two categories, general fiction and young adult.

I entered Into the Sunset (general fiction) last year, and it made it through the first round, but was eliminated in the second round (despite very favorable reviews from the two reviewers assigned my excerpts. They wrote how much they liked the book, and how they laughed out loud. Which is good, because the novel is a comedy).

Anyway, Sunset has made it through the first round again this year, so I'm back to where I was last time. I'll find out the results of Round Two on March 22.

Miracles, Inc. by T.J. Forrester

Vernon Oliver was the hottest, rocking-est, money-making televangelist going, the "biker preacher," riding onto the stage on his Harley, then grabbing his audience by their souls and giving them what they wanted—hope. Of course it was all a sham, the healings staged, but the people were getting what they wanted, they got a show—a rock show, really. They willingly handed over their money. Of course this whole carnival known as Miracles, Inc. eventually came crashing back down to earth.

The novel begins with the narrator, Vernon Oliver, telling his story from his cell on death row, the story of how and why he got there. The writing and voice of Vernon grabs you right from the get-go and doesn't let go. The structure of the novel cuts back and forth between his life as a rich and famous faith healer and his solitary jail cell, where he is working on his autobiography, as he marks down the time to his execution. The contrast between the two keeps the story and the tension moving forward. How did Vernon become the face of Miracles, Inc? How did he end up on death row? Is he really guilty? Will he really be put to death at the end?

A great cast of characters is along for the ride: His girlfriend Rickie; Miriam, the woman who runs Miracle, Inc.; Alton, the ex-preacher who is teaching Vernon everything he knows; and the cast of actors who are "healed" by Vernon on stage.

Miracles, Inc. (Simon & Schuster, 2011) is definitely a "page turner," the back and forth of the plot, along with Forrester's deft, clean, tight, well-edited, and engaging writing keeps your nose in the book until you find how it all turns out. This is one hot book, one that would translate into a film very well. Check it out!

A Painted House, reviewed

I enjoyed A Painted House (2001), Grisham's first departure from his normal legal thrillers. He does a good job of bringing the reader into the world of a Southern (Arkansas) cotton farm during picking season, circa 1952, as seen through the eyes of the seven year-old narrator, Luke. The "hill people" and a team of migrant Mexican workers arrive and live at the farm for two months to pick the cotton. The many characters and different plot lines come together believably and naturally, and little Luke is exposed to human drama like he's never experienced before. At times the novel seemed a little slow (the book could have benefited from some editing), but as a reader you eventually settle in and experience another world, one that doesn't exist anymore. I also loved the baseball references, as Luke was a big fan of Stan Musial and the St. Louis Cardinals. My only real complaint is that the voice of the narrator sounded too adult.

Ice on the Hudson River

We've had records amounts of snow this January in New York. Not only that, but it's been consistently below freezing, and the snow isn't melting. So when another storm comes along, it just dumps more snow on top of the old snow. When it stays this cold for this long, the Hudson River freezes. So I strapped on my new snowshoes today, and went down to the river to take some photos. (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

Catcher, Caught reviewed

Sixteen year-old narrator Daniel Landon has leukemia, and may only have a year to live—even if he does have the chemotherapy treatment his doctors suggest. But his hippie parents decide to give him alternative herbal treatment instead, and pull him out of school (too many germs being around other kids). Shouldn't he have a say in his own life, and what treatment he receives? Isn't it important, too, to be around his school friends and have a social life as his life winds down? Will his parents ever acknowledge his opinions? Even with the weight and worry of his own mortality on his mind, author Sarah Collins Honenberger does a good job of reminding the reader that young Daniel can still have plain old teenage worries. Like, does that new girl (Meredith) in the neighborhood actually like him? And what Halloween party should he attend, his best friend's or the rich kid's, who may have eyes for the same girl Daniel does.

Feeling more and more isolated—both because of his illness and his removal from school—Daniel turns to the voice of The Catcher in the Rye's Holden Caulfield for guidance. Holden, of course, is the unhappy, cynical sixteen year-old kicked out of his prep school, and trying to find himself in New York City before returning home to face the music. But Holden has his whole life to figure things out—Daniel has only a year. Honenberger's teenage protagonist never allows himself to become cynical like Caufield, even though he has every reason to. Daniel instead seeks to gain control over his life (or death), and wants the responsibility—whatever the result. He loves his parents, but what if they are making the wrong decision?

Written in the first person (as is Salinger's book), author Honenberger does a good job getting into the head of her lead character. Sometimes his music and film references may seem too old fashioned for him, and I wish an important, emotional phone call between Daniel and Meredith toward the end of the book (right before he sets out for New York City) had been shown, and not just mentioned in passing. But those are just nit picks, really. In the acknowledgments, Honenberger is thankful for the chance to honor J. D. Salinger and Holden Caulfield. And what better way to honor them than by inspiring a new generation to read The Catcher in the Rye, and an older generation to rediscover the classic?

The Motel Life, by Willy Vlautin

If you're looking for a cool, different book to read, check out Willy Vlautin's The Motel Life. I stumbled upon this book in Border's fire sale budget bin a few days after Christmas. I read and liked the first two pages, so I took a chance. Only $2.99! Well, I have to say I loved this book.

I hate reviews that give the plot away, so I'll keep it simple. Two brothers in Reno, Nevada deal with the bad luck that life keeps throwing their way. The writing is sharp and clean, and I cared about the characters. The story pulled me right in and I just wanted to keep reading. So I did.

Minty

I cant stop watching this:

So you got a Kindle (or iPad) for Christmas?

Now that you have a new toy to play with, you'll want to start downloading some good books to read. Well, here are some great deals on books you won't want to miss!

Tom Saunders's wonderful novel, Inappropriate Happiness. Only 99¢! Read my review here.

Pamela Erens's The Understory. $7.99! Winner of the Ironweed Press Fiction Prize; A Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist; Finalist, William Saroyan International Prize for Writing.

If skullduggery and murder in the world of NASCAR sounds appealing to you, check out GC Smith's White Lightning. $5.00!

If you like short stories, Tom Saunders has two collections that I highly recommend, Roof Whirl Away and Brother, What Strange Place Is This? Only 99¢ each!

Cliff Garstang's award-winning collection of linked stories, In an Uncharted Country, Only $3.99. Winner of the IPPY Gold Medal for Mid-Atlantic--Best Regional Fiction 2010.

Mary Akers's award-winning collection of short stories, Women Up On Blocks, Only $3.99. Winner of the IPPY Gold Medal for Short Story Fiction 2010.

If you like lively, sexy, and funny fiction, then the irrepressible Susan DiPlacido is right up your alley. She has three recent, highly received novels: Lady Luck, only $2.50; House Money, only $3.99; and Shuffle Up and Deal, only $2.50! She also has a wonderful collection of award-winning short stories titled American Cool, for only $2.50.

Finally (and of course), I'm not opposed to plugging my own stuff. If you want some comedy on your Kindle, check out my novel, Into the Sunset, Only 99¢!

If you like time travel, check out my novella, The Chambliss Tapes. 99¢!

Then there is my collection of short stories, Stories From Sunset Hill. Only $1.00!

The Fab Faux

I saw The Fab Faux on Saturday night at Terminal 5 in Manhattan. They're a Beatles tribute band, but they're not cheesy—they're not 50 year old men wearing Mop Top wigs and Beatle boots. They are all accomplished session/studio musicians with impressive resumes. The leader of the band used to be in the Letterman show's band, and they've all played with some of the biggest names in rock.

On Sat. night, they played the White Album (my favorite Beatles album) in its entirety. They nailed it. Every little nuance, sound, and utterance was included. Highlights for me included "Glass Onion," "Yer Blues," and "Helter Skelter." They brought in a horn section when needed, as well as a cello player and a violinist. They even had a harp for the final song, "Goodnight." (And yes, they did the entire "Revolution 9.") Denny Laine (Wings, Moody Blues) came out and joined them for several songs, including "Revolution" and his own "Go Now" during the encore.

Here is the band performing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" a couple years ago.

John Lennon 2010

Hard to believe it's been thirty years since that crazy bastard shot John Lennon. Lennon was just getting started, too, with the second phase of his solo work--a more mature side, which was evident on the final work he did. Here's one of my favorite songs from that final period, Nobody Told Me. Love the bass line!

Inappropriate Happiness now on Kindle!

Tom Saunders's wonderful novel, Inappropriate Happiness, is now available for the Kindle on Amazon. I reviewed the old-fashioned paper version of this novel last year here.

Eclectica Magazine interview with Susan DiPlacido

Eclectica, the fine literary magazine, was kind enough to let me interview the always funny Susan DiPlacido for their Oct/Nov 2010 issue. Susan published three novels this year, so there was a lot to talk about. Read the interview here.

My review of her latest, House Money, published by Mundania Press, is below. Check out my review of Lady Luck here.

House Money, reviewed

Susan DiPlacido's latest novel (boy, how many times have I said that this year? Oh, right—three) is a Las Vegas gangster caper mystery, but at heart it is a character study. Protagonist Eva Russo has seen enough murder in her life, and—besides the fact that she can't be a made man in the Mafia even if she wanted to be—wants to pursue her own life outside of the mob. She wants to be known as more than the "boss's daughter."

A budding artist, the book opens with Eva's first art show. But due to the power play of someone (Dave “The Sheik” DeSantis) who works for her father (mob boss Joe Russo), Eva is pulled into the gangster life to revenge her father's murder, and reclaim what is rightfully her family's—namely the Oasis, a Vegas casino. That's the basic plot, but DiPlacido makes it come to life with her dialogue, tension and pacing, and well-rounded characters. She also gives the bad guy (The Sheik) meat to his character so he's not just a cliche; though he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, you can see things from his perspective, and understand why he did what he did. But Eva and her cohorts are smarter as they execute their plan to get the Oasis back in their control.

The Bookseller's Sonnets, reviewed

Author Andi Rosenthal deftly weaves together past and present in this wonderful debut novel, The Bookseller's Sonnets. Because of its religious plot, people will want to compare it to the Davinci Code; while it does have cinematic potential, as that novel did, it is more multi-layered, modern, and taps in to character, prejudice and identity much more than the Davinci Code; it is more than just a religious mystery. Lead character Jill Levin, a curator at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in present-day Manhattan, receives an anonymous donation. It is a 500-year-old handwritten manuscript that—if it is truly authentic—is the diary of Margaret, the daughter of St. Thomas More. What is written inside has the potential to rock the worlds of both Judaism and Catholicism, but may affect Jill's life even more. Rosenthal's writing is crisp and fluid, and I couldn't wait to get home from work every night and crawl back into this world she created. It is a true page turner.

The King and I

This is just incredible, but my baseball/time travel story "The Chambliss Tapes" is the #1 free download on Amazon Kindle's free list, Sports category, and Baseball>Essays & Writing category. Sitting up there at the top along with Stephen King's own baseball story, Blockade Billy, which is the #1 paid download.

The Chambliss Tapes—free for Kindle!

I don't know if this is related to the post below, but Amazon has lowered the price of my novella, The Chambliss Tapes, from 99¢ to FREE. That's right, free! In a little more than two days, it has been downloaded over 500 times! Check it out here. It is currently the #1 free download in the Kindle Sports section.

The Frugal Kindle

If you have a Kindle, you should check out The Frugal Kindle. They spotlight highly-rated books under $9. It's a great idea, especially with the battle that has been raging between Amazon and the book publishers—the publishers wanting to price their books at $15, while Amazon wants to keep the prices lower, so more books can be sold. Anyway, The Frugal Kindle featured my comic novel INTO THE SUNSET on Sept. 30. Check it out!

My story "After the Fall" in new anthology

What is Humpty Dumpty up to these days? I'll tell you, that egg is living a hard life, his former life shattered beyond repair. Where did it all go wrong?, he wonders as he pounds down the drinks in his favorite pub. Well, it all went wrong when he climbed atop that damned wall, of course! This is what my story "After the Fall" is about, and it is included in a new anthology titled Ten Modern Stories of 2010. Available on Amazon and the other usual places.

Josh Holloway as Rockford?

When it was announced that NBC was rebooting one of my all-time favorite shows, The Rockford Files, Dermot Mulroney was announced as the new Jim Rockford. Well, he has similar hair to James Garner, but otherwise I didn't know much about him. But the latest rumor has that Mulroney is out and they are considering Josh Holloway (Sawyer from Lost) instead. I have to say, I'm excited about this rumor. Rockford is about much more than hair—it's about attitude, it's about being a "smart mouth." Holloway as Sawyer was definitely that. I hope this comes true.

UPDATE: It all seems to be coming together. Just read this online: "Former Lost star Josh Holloway has admitted that he would love to star in NBC's forthcoming remake of The Rockford Files." Make it happen, guys!

Here's a clip of Garner as Rockford:

Sleeve Sprouts

Attention men—you may be a sufferer of this recently-named affliction. But fear not, there is now help and support, if not yet a cure. Click here for more information about Sleeve Sprouts. Women are not known to suffer from this disorder. The first woman sufferer is still being sought.

Lost in America

One of my all-time favorite film scenes:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

If you're not familiar with this band, you should be.

You can Mad Men yourself!

...On the Mad Men website. That's me there with the cast of Mad Men!

Mad Men Marathon

Mad Men Marathon. Mad Men Marathon. Mad Men Marathon. Say that three times fast. Season 4 of Mad Men starts on Sunday, July 25 on AMC. But I have a lot of catching up to do. Before this past Thursday, I had only seen the first season. Currently, I am in the middle of a Season 2 marathon. Season 3 next. Can I catch up by the 25th?

In case you've never seen it, here is one of the coolest openers to a TV series ever.

Congrats Homer!

I love The Simpsons, so I was happy when Entertainment Weekly, to mark their 20th anniversary, released their list of the Top 10 greatest TV and film characters of the past twenty years. Here is the list:

1. Homer Simpson
2. Harry Potter
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. Tony Soprano
5. The Joker (played by Heath Ledger)
6. Rachel Green
7. Edward Scissorhands
8. Hannibal Lecter
9. Carrie Bradshaw
10. Spongebob Squarepants

I can't argue with the choice of Homer as #1. He may be the best character in TV history. Harry Potter at #2 is a good choice. Buffy seems a little too high on the list at #3. Tony Soprano deserves to be on the list. But what's up with Rachel Green (Friends) as #6? I don't even know if she was the most memorable character from that ensemble cast, that also included the more memorable and quirky Chandler and Phoebe. And where is George Costanza? GEORGE COSTANZA!!! Cosmo Kramer? Michael Scott? Jack Bauer? Dwight Schrute? Sawyer? Or even Bart Simpson for that matter?

Rachel Green? Really?

Pearl Jam MSG 5.21.10

I saw Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. This was the last show of this leg of the tour before they take a break, then head overseas, and they didn't hold back. They played two hours and forty-five minutes. Just look at this setlist. They were relentless, opening with five rockers before even taking a breath to say hello. Seriously, this was one of the LOUDEST shows I've ever heard, and I mean both the band AND the crowd. They did a good mix of old and new stuff, and even broke out "Hunger Strike" during the second encore, with Ben Bridwell, the singer of opening act Band of Horses, taking on Chris Cornell's half of the vocals (see video below).

Lady Luck review, and a fun interview with Susan DiPlacido

The funny and talented Susan DiPlacido has just released three new novels. That's right, three! They are LADY LUCK; SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL; and HOUSE MONEY. I have a lot of reading to do. LADY LUCK was the first one I sunk my teeth into.

Las Vegas showgirl Sherri DiPedi gets knocked in the head with a neon sign and wakes up as the current incarnation of Lady Luck. Or does she? Is she just crazy? And what about her step father, who may have killed her father to steal his business and marry his wife? Is that all in her head too? Or will she be the next one bumped off?

Inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet, DiPlacido does a great job of weaving all the characters and their plot lines together. People better versed with Hamlet than I am with get all the little nuances that relate to the Shakespeare masterpiece. But you don't need to have just read Hamlet to enjoy this crazy ride.

LADY LUCK is classic, vintage DiPlacido: Las Vegas, humor, capers, romance, punchy dialogue, booze, and food. (Surprisingly, it's a bit light on her usual racy sex scenes.) DiPlacido does a good job of switching POVs to keep the action moving, and letting the reader see what is going on concurrently with the various characters. Her writing is very visual, and it's a wonder nobody has snapped up the film rights to any of her novels yet. Are you listening, Hollywood?

Summer's coming. I suggest you pour yourself a drink, go sit by the pool, and dive into Lady Luck.

*

I had the opportunity to ask Susan about Lady Luck. Here is the interview:

DC: You just released two new books—LADY LUCK, and SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL under the Neon Fiction imprint. Another novel, HOUSE MONEY, was also just released by Mundania Press. I labor over a book for five years, and you seem to sneeze them out at will. What's your secret? Are you on steroids?

SD: Not steroids, but ample vodka. And I'm also lazy. While most writers are diligent and work hard, I just sort of come up with an idea and then type it up as it amuses me and then I'm mostly done. Revisions are work, so I don't do much of them. Rewrites blow, and finding the perfect metaphor or turn of phrase can be laborious, so I don't do that stuff and it really cuts down on the time investment, let me tell you!

DC: LADY LUCK is a fun read, with great dialogue. The characters seem so real. Do you have imaginary friends, and walk around all day talking to yourself out loud? For that matter, are YOU real, or a fiction-writing bot that some bored IT person wrote a code for, and now can't control?

SD: Thanks for that, Don. I don't have imaginary friends, but I do often talk to myself -- aloud. (Again, with the vodka.) But as far as I'm aware, I am not ensconced in the Matrix and am a real person.

DC: LADY LUCK was inspired by William "the Bard" Shakespeare's Hamlet. Did you know another definition of bard is "a slice of bacon placed on meat or game before roasting"?

SD: As someone who prides myself on loving food and knowing all sorts of dumb minutiae about it, I'm saddened to admit that I did not know that. I only recently found out what a lardon was. But though I didn't know the technical term, I have eaten plenty of bacon-covered meat. Now I have a fancy name for it to annoy people with, so thank you.

DC: Tell us a little about writing LADY LUCK. But first—you're not under the delusion that you are, in fact, Lady Luck, are you?

SD: That's a terrible question because the answer makes me sound like a nutjob. I don't think I'm Lady Luck, but I do think I'm pretty lucky. I have streaks where my luck goes sour, but I also have had streaks that impressed (and pissed off) some pretty inveterate gamblers. So I do consider Lady Luck a friend. As for writing Lady Luck, it was fun. It was easier than most books because I had a blueprint (and a damn fine one) already laid out for me, so I just had to embellish. No wonder people plagiarize -- it's really an easy way to get stuff accomplished! But Hamlet has always been one of my favorite works, and there's a lot of black humor in it that appeals to me. I also always felt really bad for the prince, because he wasn't a bad guy, and the whole crazy or not thing is such an inspired nuance. So I wanted to make sure and touch upon that, and I thought the whole question of luck was a good way to do it.

DC: You like to use recurring characters in your novels. That wasn't a question, but a statement. Feel free to expand on it.

SD: I do like my recurring characters. (Again, with the lazy.) I think they're kind of fun, and hopefully they are for readers, too. And it does make writing easier, because by now I know how they should behave in certain situations and their verbal ticks are by rote. Maybe they are sort of like imaginary friends when I'm writing. Also, I just think it's funny to keep bringing these same characters up in all my books. There's got to be a vanity streak in me for doing that, or maybe I'm just sly with cross-promoting that way.

Free Smashing Pumpkins

If you're a Smashing Pumpkins fan, check out their website. They're doing a cool thing: giving away their new CD, Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. 1, one song at a time. They have posted four songs you can download for free. The songs sound really good, which isn't a surprise: This is the follow-up to their last CD, Zeitgeist, which is one of my favorites by them.

Snakes Can't Run

I just found out about the new novel from Ed Lin. It was released March 30, and is titled SNAKES CAN'T RUN. This is the second book to feature NYPD detective Robert Chow, following 2007's fantastic This Is a Bust. Check out my review of THIS IS A BUST here. Okay, I'm off to order the book now.

Here is the trailer:

Opening Day 2010

Today is Opening Day for the Yankees at the new Yankee Stadium, their second season in the new ballpark. Of course, they brought home their 27th World Series Championship in their first season in the new home last year. Today they get to raise the championship banner and distribute their World Series rings. Meanwhile, the deconstruction of the old Stadium is nearly complete...



These photos are from wcbs880.com, taken by Tom Kaminski.

iPad Mania!

This clip is from the new sitcom Modern Family. iPad is released April 3rd!

Sunset Daze/Into the Sunset

Apparently, WeTV has a new reality show in the works called Sunset Daze that follows the crazy antics of the wacky residents of a retirement home. My comic novel Into the Sunset, published in 2007, also has crazy antics of residents of a retirement community.

Hmmmm...Sunset Daze...Into the Sunset. Sunset...Sunset. Sounds kinda familiar.

The official page for the show doesn't have much info about when it will air, etc. Does anyone know anything more about this show?

UPDATE: The website now says that the first two episodes will air on Wed., April 28, 10pm.

Into the Sunset

Last night was the end of the road for my novel Into the Sunset in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest (ABNA). The quarterfinalists were announced, which pared the entries down to 250 in each category, and Into the Sunset wasn't on it the list. Not all depressing news, however, because I also coincidentally received--on the same day the novel was eliminated from the contest--a glowing review from a happy reader on Amazon. You can purchase Into the Sunset on Amazon, Smashwords, BN.com, and many other outlets.

***

We all know how frustrating and demoralizing writing can be. Or, not the writing, but the submission/acceptance part. Do I think my novel is as good as at least some of the 250 that made it to the next round? Of course. Do I know that for sure? Of course not. I didn't read those other novels. But, still. It all seems so pointless and random sometimes. If two different reviewers had read my excerpt instead, I might have made it to the next round. Oh well.

Old Yankee Stadium Demolition

UPDATE 3/12/10. These photos are from wcbs880.com, taken by Tom Kaminski:

The future of publishing...

Brought to you by Penguin and Apple's iPad. This makes the Kindle look like an old-fashioned paper book:

I made it!

Or, I should really say my novel INTO THE SUNSET made it through to the next round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) contest.


Amazon narrowed the field of 5,000 entries down to 1,000 based on a (up to) 300-word pitch. So now I move on to the second round, where two reviews of my 5,000 word excerpt (the prologue and first two chapters) will determine if I made it to the quarterfinals. Only 250 move forward. The next date to worry about is March 23, when the quarterfinal list is released. Amazon readers will then get to read and review these excerpts.

So for now...I resume waiting.

Was That David Byrne or KD Lang at the Olympics?

I know it's been a while since the Olympics opening ceremony, but is it just me, or did KD Lang look like she borrowed David Byrne's Big Suit?

Waiting is the hardest part...

Two days to go until Amazon announces the 1,000 novels that make it to the next round in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) contest.

On Feb. 25, I will find out if my pitch was good enough to make the cut and send me to the second round. If so, then my 5,000 word excerpt will be judged as follows:

Between February 25, 2010 and March 14, 2010, our expert reviewers, including Amazon editors and at least one Amazon Top Reviewer, will review and judge the Excerpts of each second round Entry. The expert reviewers rate each Excerpt on a scale of 1 to 5 on each of the following criteria:

a) Overall Strength of Excerpt
b) Prose/Style
c) Plot/Hook
d) Originality of Idea

So for now, I wait. Meanwhile, here's some Tom Petty and Eddie Vedder.

New U2 music on the way

Bono has told Irish newspaper the Irish Independent that a new U2 album, titled Songs of Ascent, will be available in June. I remember reading that this was the plan when last year's No Line On the Horizon was released. The names of some of the tracks rumored to be on the new CD are: "Winter" (which is on the soundtrack to the film "Brothers"), “Every Breaking Wave," "If I Could Live My Life Again," "Love Is All We Have Left," "Mercy," "Lead Me In The Way I Should Go," "You Can’t Give Away Your Heart," and "Kingdom Of Your Love."

My Pitch

The first round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) contest is "the pitch." This is the short, quick description, or "hook," that you need to describe your book. Similar to the sell copy on the back cover of a book, it is also known as the "elevator pitch"—what you would tell an agent or editor if you had him or her alone in an elevator for a minute.

Here is my pitch for Into the Sunset, my comic novel that is entered in the ABNA:

Meet Wayne Benson. He's not a senior citizen. He doesn't require nursing care. He isn't even retired. But this healthy 30-year-old bachelor believes the comfortable life of The Sunset, an assisted-living retirement community, would be a soothing alternative to his young, hectic lifestyle.

Everything he desires—gourmet meals, laundry service, camaraderie, tranquility—is available for one all-inclusive monthly fee. The only problem? He isn't the required minimum age of sixty-two. So, he dons theatrical make-up and a grey wig to age himself forty years, and is immediately accepted into The Sunset. Now all he has to do is live a peaceful life.

Will everything go as smoothly as planned? Of course not! His elderly love interest becomes suspicious of his under-cover-of-darkness-only lovemaking, his neighbor wants to go to strip clubs and experiment with Viagra®, the head of security is more interested in extortion than security, and the woman who manages The Sunset may be onto his scheme. Can Wayne survive old age?

Amazon editors will read the pitches of the 5,000 entries. They will choose 1,000, and move them to the second round. These results will be announced Feb. 25.

Awesomeness

This is why I've been waiting for an Apple e-book reader:

Into the Sunset entered in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest

Amazon is holding their third annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, and this year they are opening submissions to previously self-published books. Winner of the contest gets published by Penguin USA and a $15,000 contract. There are two categories this year, general fiction and young adult. The contest begins on Mon., Jan. 25 at midnight, EST.

And you, the Amazon reviewer, get to vote! There is the First Round, where the Amazon editors will read a 300 word pitch for each entry. The top 1,000 entries in each category will move to the second round.

The Second Round will be narrowed to 250 entries (in each category) by you, the Amazon reviewer, based on a 5,000 word novel excerpt.

The Quarterfinals are next, where Publishers Weekly reviewers will read the full manuscript. The top 50 move on from here.

The Semifinals follow, where Penguin USA editors will read the full manuscript and select three finalists in each category.

Then the ball is thrown back to you, dear Amazon reviewer, in the Finals, to vote on the three finalists to see who wins the grand prize!

I've decided to enter my comic novel, Into the Sunset, in this contest. I published it in the summer of 2007, and I am totally, 100% happy with the final product. But, you know, self-published books don't get any respect, and no one wants to review them. Though I did get a good review from Romantic Times Book Review, where they said, "Capone has a vivid imagination and a unique voice." My novel doesn't have to win this contest. What I'm looking for is more exposure for the book, a wider audience, and maybe the book will even catch the eye of an agent or editor.

I will update this blog throughout the contest. Hopefully my novel will move through some of the rounds, and you can then vote for me!

UPDATE 1:13 AM, Mon. Jan. 25
Boy, that was insane. The online equivalent of people getting trampled at Walmart on Black Friday. I was all logged in and ready to go with my Word files at 12 midnight. The entry page wouldn't even load for me until 12:27. Then the four steps took forever, just watching a spinning wheel after I hit Save. Finally my submission was complete at 12:52. Whew! I'm in! Wish me luck.

Jib Jab 2009

Tom Saunders interview

You can read a compelling interview with one of my favorite authors, Tom Saunders, at Eclectica Magazine. His novel, Inappropriate Happiness was one of my favorite books of 2009. (Read my review of it here.) Here is a little taste of the interview:

"It took me many years to begin writing. I wish I'd started sooner. I was just an ordinary kid brought up on a council estate, an 11-plus reject sent to a Secondary Modern school rather than a Grammar. No-one was expecting anything of us and we were educated accordingly. Writing wasn't something you'd remotely consider as a career. It was so out of the question it didn't even occur to me, to be honest, although I've always been a big reader."


You can order the book directly from the publisher, Reuben Books, or at Amazon UK.

Lost Art

If you are a Lost fan, you may be interested in The LOST Underground Art Show. Here you can buy original art work based on the hit TV show, which begins its final season on Tuesday, Feb. 2. Personally, I like the "Lockeness Monster" (below) by Alex Pardee, which has already sold for a cool $1,200.

My writing now available for Sony Reader, other e-readers

If you have an e-reader, you might want to check out my author page over at Smashwords. Currently, my novel Into the Sunset and my short story collection Stories From Sunset Hill are for sale, and the short stories nineleven and The Chambliss Tapes are available for free.

According to Smashwords, "The ebooks on Smashwords can be read online using our online readers, or they can be downloaded to other reading devices such as the the iPhone, iPod Touch, Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader or IRex Iliad, or to other ereading devices. Smashwords offers generous sampling options so readers can try before they buy."