Tuesday, December 07, 2010
And Stay off Her Damn Lawn!
U.K. Woman Ordered to Wear Electronic Tag for Poisoning 47 Cops With Sandwiches - FoxNews.com: "A former British cafe owner was ordered to wear an electronic tag as punishment for poisoning 47 cops with contaminated tuna sandwiches, the Birmingham Mail reported Tuesday."
Miracle Drug
Daily Aspirin Linked to Steep Drop in Cancer Risk - Yahoo! News: "Long-term use of a daily low-dose aspirin dramatically cuts the risk of dying from a wide array of cancers, a new investigation reveals."
The Fifth Day of Bookmas #12daysbooks
Bookends has another installment in the contest today. As usual, if you think you know the answer, go to the link and put it in the comments. There will be lots of additional links with clues there, too, so check it out. Let them know how popular I am by clicking in the link. My clue is way down below.
The thing about an idea created by someone else is that it’s not your idea; the truth, though, is that it is your book. No matter how great an idea, the success or failure depends entirely on the author’s ability to make it so. I can have the most amazing, marketable idea in the world, but if the author can’t execute it brilliantly, it’s not going to be that great. And of course, the success of a book depends entirely on the author’s brilliance to create the characters and stories that will grab the readers.
Many years ago I read Caleb Carr’s The Alienist and fell in love. I was a young editor in a terrific new romance, a romance with New York City, and I couldn’t get enough of anything to do with that city, especially the city’s history. I read The Alienist, all of Edith Wharton’s novels, The Mole People by Jennifer Toth, and Low Life by Luc Sante, to name a few.
During that period of time I developed an idea for a series of books based on this romance of mine. Can you name the series that is still being published today and its author? Keep in mind, other than coming up with the idea, I take no credit for its success. That’s entirely in the hands of brilliant writing.
My clue: A tough turn-of-the-century cop forms an unlikely alliance.
Top Notch Thrillers
Top Notch Thrillers, the new imprint of print-on-demand publisher OSTARA (www.ostarapublishing.co.uk) celebrates its first year in operation with the re-issue of two classic British thrillers.
John Gardner’s debut novel The Liquidator was originally written as an affectionate spoof of the James Bond genre and featured the cowardly, accident-prone agent ‘Boysie’ Oakes. Originally published in 1964, shortly after the death of Ian Fleming, the Boysie Oakes books were seen as a natural successor to Bond and in the 1970s, John Gardner (by now an established thriller writer) was approached by the estate of Ian Fleming to continue the 007 franchise. In total, Gardner wrote over 50 novels, the last of which was published posthumously in 2008.
Victor Canning (1911-1986) was one of Britain’s best-loved popular novelists, whose first book was published at the age of 23 and whose writing career spanned more than 50 years. The Rainbird Pattern is probably his most famous thriller and won the Crime Writers’ Association’s Silver Dagger in 1972. It was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock (his last film) as Family Plot.
Free e-Book!
Well, you can't go wrong here. I mean, hey, it's a free book. Here's the info:
Sarah Monette on Ellery Queen
Introductions All Around: Ellery Queen and Me | Tor.com | Science fiction and fantasy | Blog posts: "My intention is to write a series of posts about Ellery Queen’s transformation from a deliberately assembled (or jumbled, as Dickinson says) detective to a three-dimensional character, and about the ways in which Ellery’s metamorphosis is reflected in the novels surrounding him. Or, to put it another way, the process by which Ellery Queen (Dannay and Lee) went from writing typical Golden Age detective fiction to writing quirky, self-interrogatory mystery novels."
Link via SF Signal.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Scorpion-Spider Bug Hybrid: New Pseudoscorpion Species, Parobisium Yosemite, Documented For First Time By James Cokendolpher (VIDEO): "The Parobisium yosemite, commonly known as the Yosemite cave pseudoscorpion, has quite the fearsome appearance. However, coming in at a little under half an inch, the arachnid is not capable of doing much damage to anything larger than an eighth of an inch.
Texas Tech University researcher James C. Cokendolpher recently documented the pseudoscorpion, which was discovered in the granite rockfall caves of Yosemite National Park three to four years ago, according to Texas Tech University. The tiny predator has the pincers of a scorpion, but the body of a spider. It has eight legs, but no post-abdomen stinger. The creature does not move often, nor does it require a lot of nourishment."
Texas Tech University researcher James C. Cokendolpher recently documented the pseudoscorpion, which was discovered in the granite rockfall caves of Yosemite National Park three to four years ago, according to Texas Tech University. The tiny predator has the pincers of a scorpion, but the body of a spider. It has eight legs, but no post-abdomen stinger. The creature does not move often, nor does it require a lot of nourishment."
Hat tip to Seepy Benton.
USA! USA!
Teens in U.S. Rank 25th on Math Test, Trail in Science, Reading - Bloomberg: "Fifteen-year-old students in the U.S. ranked 25th of 34 countries on an international math test and scored in the middle of the pack in science and reading, raising concerns the U.S. isn’t prepared to succeed in the global economy.
Teenagers from South Korea and Finland led in almost all academic categories on the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment, according to the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, which represents 34 countries. U.S. students ranked 17th in science and 14th in reading. The U.S. government considers the OECD test one of the most comprehensive measures of international achievement."
Teenagers from South Korea and Finland led in almost all academic categories on the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment, according to the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, which represents 34 countries. U.S. students ranked 17th in science and 14th in reading. The U.S. government considers the OECD test one of the most comprehensive measures of international achievement."
Kill Bill (Shakespeare, That Is)
Shakespeare Superheroes Suffer Slings and Arrows in Comic Book: "Two Canadian writers have taken Shakespeare's most famous characters and put them in a 'Lord of the Rings'-type quest, and that has lovers of the Immortal Bard grumbling whether it is to be or not to be.
The comic book in question is called 'Kill Shakespeare' and features Shakespearean celebs like Hamlet, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet battling it out against Lady MacBeth, Iago and Richard III to see who can find a mysterious wizard named Shakespeare."
The comic book in question is called 'Kill Shakespeare' and features Shakespearean celebs like Hamlet, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet battling it out against Lady MacBeth, Iago and Richard III to see who can find a mysterious wizard named Shakespeare."
How Do You Cook . . . oh, I See
Deals: Week of 12/6/10: "DeCaro Gets in the 'Celebrity' Kitchen
Laura Dail at the Laura Dail Agency sold world rights to a humorous cookbook by comedian Frank DeCaro called The Dead Celebrity Cookbook. Michele Matrisciani at HCI acquired the book, which includes recipes from dead celebrities, and which Dail described as 'a mix of nostalgia, food, pop culture, and cooking.' The book will contain actual and fake recipes, everything from Liberace's sticky buns to Dinah Shore's brisket."
Laura Dail at the Laura Dail Agency sold world rights to a humorous cookbook by comedian Frank DeCaro called The Dead Celebrity Cookbook. Michele Matrisciani at HCI acquired the book, which includes recipes from dead celebrities, and which Dail described as 'a mix of nostalgia, food, pop culture, and cooking.' The book will contain actual and fake recipes, everything from Liberace's sticky buns to Dinah Shore's brisket."
Monday, December 06, 2010
No Joke
Priest, rabbi and monk bless 'cursed' burger joint - NYPOST.com: "A catholic priest, rabbi and Buddhist monk walked into a new burger joint in Chelsea today to bless the place.
The Buddhist monk turned to the priest and said, “This is my first time blessing a burger joint.” The priest doesn’t say much, just sprinkles some holy water, but the rabbi said, “The last restaurant I did was a hot dog joint in New Jersey.”
Seriously.
The religious men gathered to try to break a curse on 470 W. 23rd St., the new home of New York Burger Co.’s third franchise. Over the years, about half a dozen restaurants have opened and quickly closed there."
The Buddhist monk turned to the priest and said, “This is my first time blessing a burger joint.” The priest doesn’t say much, just sprinkles some holy water, but the rabbi said, “The last restaurant I did was a hot dog joint in New Jersey.”
Seriously.
The religious men gathered to try to break a curse on 470 W. 23rd St., the new home of New York Burger Co.’s third franchise. Over the years, about half a dozen restaurants have opened and quickly closed there."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Dang
Breaking News - FX Cancels "Terriers" | TheFutonCritic.com: "FX is not renewing its drama series 'Terriers' for a second season.
Don Meredith, R. I. P.
Don Meredith, Cosell’s Foil, Dies at 72 - NYTimes.com: "ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Don Meredith, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback who served as a folksy foil for Howard Cosell on ABC's 'Monday Night Football' and helped carve out the niche for colorful ex-athlete broadcasters, has died. 'Dandy Don,' as he was known, was 72.
Meredith's wife, Susan, told The Associated Press her husband died Sunday in Santa Fe after suffering a brain hemorrhage and lapsing into a coma. She and her daughter were at Meredith's side when he died.
'He was the best there was,' she said Monday, describing him as kind, warm and funny. 'We lost a good one.'"
Meredith's wife, Susan, told The Associated Press her husband died Sunday in Santa Fe after suffering a brain hemorrhage and lapsing into a coma. She and her daughter were at Meredith's side when he died.
'He was the best there was,' she said Monday, describing him as kind, warm and funny. 'We lost a good one.'"
The Twelve Days of Bookmas -- Day 4 #12daysbooks
BookEnds, LLC — A Literary Agency is ready to go again. Here's today's game. If you want to guess, go to the link and post your answer in the comments. I'll give my clue at the end of the post.
Way back in the dark ages when I was in college (before cell phones, Google, and corporate websites), it wasn’t easy to find a publishing internship. I sifted through 1,000-page books to find companies that might be open to hiring a summer intern. I wrote to about 15 companies. I received only one positive response. Most of the other houses didn’t even have an internship program at that time. But Putnam Berkley was interested. They requested I travel from Penn State to New York City for an interview.
When I walked into the Human Resources office, I started to get really excited. The walls were adorned with blown-up covers of my two absolutely favorite authors. When I sat down with the HR director (right after my typing test — yes . . . on an honest-to-goodness typewriter), she asked me about my reading preferences. Bursting with enthusiasm, I spit out, “Well, I’m just so thrilled, because my two favorite authors are “Joe Schmo” and “Jane Doe” and I see that you publish them both!” The HR woman looked back at me grimly and just said, “Joe Schmo actually moved to another house last week.”
Oops.
Well, “Jane Doe” is still there, and with the same editor. So I was one for two, anyway.
When I walked into the Human Resources office, I started to get really excited. The walls were adorned with blown-up covers of my two absolutely favorite authors. When I sat down with the HR director (right after my typing test — yes . . . on an honest-to-goodness typewriter), she asked me about my reading preferences. Bursting with enthusiasm, I spit out, “Well, I’m just so thrilled, because my two favorite authors are “Joe Schmo” and “Jane Doe” and I see that you publish them both!” The HR woman looked back at me grimly and just said, “Joe Schmo actually moved to another house last week.”
Oops.
Well, “Jane Doe” is still there, and with the same editor. So I was one for two, anyway.
My clue: Huge sellers for Putnam Berkley in paperback in the typewriter days.
And Stay off Her Damn Lawn!
Woman held on bail after cop shoots himself with Taser - Chicago Breaking News: "A 56-year-old woman was ordered held on bail today after being charged with resisting arrest and causing a police officer to Taser himself by mistake, officials said."
A Contest and a Story
Top Suspense Group: TSG's round robin short story contest starts!: "For the next 12 days we'll be posting a story segment written by the original members of the Top Suspense Group (Max Allan Collins, Vicki Hendricks, Ed Gorman, Bill Crider, Harry Shannon and Dave Zeltserman). After 12 days the story will be finished (one way or the other), and we'll be offering free books to the first 5 people who can match each segment to the author who wrote it!
The rules for us in writing this story: no planning, no coordination, no safety nets. Each day one of us wrote up to 250 words of a short story and passed it onto the next writer, with each writer eventually working on two segments. The only leeway was the last writer got to go past the 250 word limit to try to finish up the story, and the only editing done was for consistency errors."
The rules for us in writing this story: no planning, no coordination, no safety nets. Each day one of us wrote up to 250 words of a short story and passed it onto the next writer, with each writer eventually working on two segments. The only leeway was the last writer got to go past the 250 word limit to try to finish up the story, and the only editing done was for consistency errors."
Here's the Plot for Your Next Big Caper Novel
$100 Bill: The Fed Has a $110 Billion Problem with New Benjamins - CNBC: "A significant production problem with new high-tech $100 bills has caused government printers to shut down production of the new notes and to quarantine more than one billion of the bills in huge vaults in Fort Worth, Texas and Washington, DC, CNBC has learned."
Art Imitates "Art"?
If you've read the book, you must have been reminded of it by this panel in yesterday's Beetle Bailey.
What the World Has Been Waiting For
'American Psycho' musical in the works - NYPOST.com: "Move over, Sweeney Todd -- another singing psycho is nearing his Broadway debut.
The tale of Patrick Bateman -- a fictional Wall Street banker obsessed with designer clothes, Phil Collins, rape and murder -- is going to drench the Great White Way in blood in 'American Psycho: The Musical,' producers of the show told The Post."
The tale of Patrick Bateman -- a fictional Wall Street banker obsessed with designer clothes, Phil Collins, rape and murder -- is going to drench the Great White Way in blood in 'American Psycho: The Musical,' producers of the show told The Post."
And Stay off Her Lawn!
Quirky News | Orange UK: "An 82-year-old great grandmother has amazed fitness fans in China with her astonishing feats of kung fu.
Zhao Yufang performs her eye-watering feats of flexibility every day in a park near her home in the Chinese capital Beijing.
She is a master in Shaolin kung fu and T'ai Chi, and has also studied yoga for more than 70 years."
Zhao Yufang performs her eye-watering feats of flexibility every day in a park near her home in the Chinese capital Beijing.
She is a master in Shaolin kung fu and T'ai Chi, and has also studied yoga for more than 70 years."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Croc Update (Romantic Tribute Edition)
Love-struck crocodiles at Aussie tourist spot renamed William and Kate | News.com.au: "A CROCODILE park in northern Australia has paid tribute to Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton in true style, by naming two love-struck crocs in honor of the Royal couple."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Will the Persecution Never End?
Brooke Mueller Enters Sober Living Facility | PopEater.com: "'[She] is doing it to maintain her health,' attorney Yale Galanter says.
Kathy Hilton told Us Magazine that her friend was 'fine and taking preventative measures' for her health.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, rumors spread that Mueller had entered a treatment center after partying too hard with Paris Hilton. 'I did not go to rehab. The story is ridiculous,' Mueller told Us at the time. 'I am healthy and happy.'"
Kathy Hilton told Us Magazine that her friend was 'fine and taking preventative measures' for her health.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, rumors spread that Mueller had entered a treatment center after partying too hard with Paris Hilton. 'I did not go to rehab. The story is ridiculous,' Mueller told Us at the time. 'I am healthy and happy.'"
If You Haven't Finished Your Christmas Shopping . . .
Rare U.S. national anthem score on auction in New York | Mail Online: "A first edition of the U.S. national anthem sheet music, with its signature typo in the title, is set to go on sale in New York along with dozens of presidential letters and rare American documents.
The 1814 lyrics and music of The Star-Spangled Banner, the last of 11 total copies to be in private hands, will be sold later today at Christie's auction house in New York.
Christie's estimates it could fetch up to $300,000."
The 1814 lyrics and music of The Star-Spangled Banner, the last of 11 total copies to be in private hands, will be sold later today at Christie's auction house in New York.
Christie's estimates it could fetch up to $300,000."
Sunday, December 05, 2010
No Comment Department
Accused mink, bronze and copper thieves, rapists, robbers, burglars and drunken driver who killed a man: Court Watch | cleveland.com: "Nakita Norman, 44, and Annette Murchison, 42, both of Cleveland: Hearing today on theft charges. They are accused of taking two mink coats Nov. 16 from Sword Furs on Center Ridge Road in Westlake. Prosecutors say Murchison and an unidentified man distracted employees while Norman stuffed the coats, valued at $5,000, in her pants."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Dave Barry’s Guide to Holiday Gifts
Dave Barry’s Guide to Holiday Gifts - Dave Barry - MiamiHerald.com
I wouldn't ordinarily link to this, but this year is special because Jeff Meyerson, a frequent commenter here, contributed one of the items. Check it out.
Lawrence Block Update
I highly recommend clicking the link and reading the entire thing.
But that’s not all. They’ll also be reissuing the seven books I wrote as Jill Emerson, my very first novel (Strange Are the Ways of Love, by Lesley Evans), a romantic espionage novel nobody knows I wrote (Passport to Peril, by Anne Campbell Clark), and a couple of books each by Sheldon Lord and Andrew Shaw.
Toward that end, I volunteered to write afterwords or end notes for each book, and that’s been an interesting couple of weeks’ work."
Georges Simenon Update
Georges Simenon: Review of Pedigree by Nathaniel Rich - The Daily Beast: "Where do popular novelists go when they die? Harold Robbins, author of The Carpetbaggers and A Stone for Danny Fisher, sold 750 million books during his lifetime, but 13 years after his death his heirs struggle to keep him in print. Barbara Cartland, who sold more than a billion romance novels, was barely known outside of her genre even while she was alive. Sidney Sheldon, Enid Blyton, and Gilbert Patten, each of whom sold several hundred million books, are careening toward oblivion as rapidly.
Then there’s the case of Georges Simenon, whose nearly 200 novels have been purchased half a billion times. Simenon is now, 20 years since his death, enjoying a renaissance—not as a popular novelist, but as a critical darling. Simenon would be gratified by this. At 34, he predicted he’d win the Nobel Prize within 10 years, but he was dismissed as a hack by critics and the academy for the rest of his life. The fact that he published so often (about six titles a year) no doubt aroused the suspicion of critics who subscribed to the old myth that great novels require years of brooding concentration. Simenon boasted that writing a novel took him two weeks."
Then there’s the case of Georges Simenon, whose nearly 200 novels have been purchased half a billion times. Simenon is now, 20 years since his death, enjoying a renaissance—not as a popular novelist, but as a critical darling. Simenon would be gratified by this. At 34, he predicted he’d win the Nobel Prize within 10 years, but he was dismissed as a hack by critics and the academy for the rest of his life. The fact that he published so often (about six titles a year) no doubt aroused the suspicion of critics who subscribed to the old myth that great novels require years of brooding concentration. Simenon boasted that writing a novel took him two weeks."
Hot Enough for You?
World’s hottest pepper is ‘hot enough to strip paint’ - Yahoo! News: "Fiery food mavens seeking to one-up each other now have to gear up for a whole new test of culinary bravado: the world's hottest chili pepper.
Yes, the Naga Viper, the latest claimant to the world's-hottest-pepper crown, outdistances its predecessor, the Bhut Jolokia, or 'ghost chili,' by more than 300,000 points on the famous Scoville scale of tongue-scorching chili hotness."
Yes, the Naga Viper, the latest claimant to the world's-hottest-pepper crown, outdistances its predecessor, the Bhut Jolokia, or 'ghost chili,' by more than 300,000 points on the famous Scoville scale of tongue-scorching chili hotness."
Here's Plot for Your Next Prison Thriller
Tobacco ban blamed in prison violence | Front page | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "A long-standing ban on tobacco in Texas prisons meant to curb smoking-related disease is fueling a black market economy that breeds jailhouse violence and corrupts correctional officers, according to a new study examining inappropriate relationships between guards and inmates."
Here's the Plot for Your Next Cremation Thriller
WLS-AM 890: "A north suburban funeral director will spend six months in jail after pleading guilty Thursday to an elaborate scheme to cover up a mix-up involving the cremated remains of two people."
Saturday, December 04, 2010
Liberace Update
Michael Douglas to portray Liberace - Films, Arts & Entertainment - The Independent: "On the heels of Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and a battle with cancer, Michael Douglas has signed on to portray the flamboyant pianist Liberace in a biopic to be directed by Steven Soderbergh (The Informant!, Che).
Matt Damon is set to play Liberace's lover Scott Thorson. The screenplay is based on Thorson's book Behind the Candelabra (My Life With Liberace)."
Matt Damon is set to play Liberace's lover Scott Thorson. The screenplay is based on Thorson's book Behind the Candelabra (My Life With Liberace)."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Another Contest that Might Be of Interest
Do Some Damage: The DSD Christmas Noir Flash Challenge: "Here's the deal (free books! free books!) We're issuing a flash fiction challenge. We want 600-1000 words of the best Christmas noir, transgressive, caper or hardboiled fiction you can throw at us. The only stipulation is that it has to be a Christmas story. But hell, you wanna know how loose a stipulation that is? Uncle DSD's favourite Christmas film is DIE HARD. So you can see that just about anything goes, as long as it's Christmas."
John D'Agostino, R. I. P.
John D'Agostino, drawer of Archie and GI Joe, dies - San Jose Mercury News: "John D'Agostino Sr., whose work in comic books ranged from Archie and Jughead to the Incredible Hulk and G.I. Joe, among others, has died. He was 81."
Hat tip to Angela Crider, who reminded me that I missed this one.
A Note from Barbara Gregorich, for you Baseball Fans
I've just published Research Notes for Women at Play: The Story of Women in Baseball, Vol. I: Maud Nelson, Margaret Nabel. This is an 8x10 book (notebook sized) of 114 pages, consisting of original newspaper articles written between 1875 and 1935. Most of the articles are quoted in their entirety, some are summarized. These are a portion of the research notes from which I wrote Women at Play back in 1992.
This book will be of interest to baseball researchers, to women in baseball who want to know their history, perhaps to baseball fans who aren't interested in research but would enjoy reading old-timey articles, maybe to novelists looking for the flavor of the times, and, I hope, to high school English teachers who assign research papers to students.
Since publishing this book last month, I’ve already heard from baseball researchers who said that information in my book led them to some aspect of their own research they didn’t know about or hadn’t considered.
The book is available only through Amazon, $12 for the softbound format, $5 for the Kindle format.
Here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/l/fe94eMsXOfpl5wZMKSqC74uTExw;www.amazon.com/Research-Notes-Women-Play-Baseball/dp/1453875557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289224419&sr=1-1
This book will be of interest to baseball researchers, to women in baseball who want to know their history, perhaps to baseball fans who aren't interested in research but would enjoy reading old-timey articles, maybe to novelists looking for the flavor of the times, and, I hope, to high school English teachers who assign research papers to students.
Since publishing this book last month, I’ve already heard from baseball researchers who said that information in my book led them to some aspect of their own research they didn’t know about or hadn’t considered.
The book is available only through Amazon, $12 for the softbound format, $5 for the Kindle format.
Here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/l/
Gator Update (Travelling Edition)
KCMO Police Find Alligator In Car - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City: "A traffic stop by Kansas City, Mo., police took an odd twist after officers found an alligator in the back of the vehicle.
Police said they pulled a vehicle over in the McDonald's parking lot at Meyer Boulevard and Troost Avenue. When the officer approached the car, he saw the alligator in the back."
Police said they pulled a vehicle over in the McDonald's parking lot at Meyer Boulevard and Troost Avenue. When the officer approached the car, he saw the alligator in the back."
Life Imitates "Art"
Man arrested in Polk Co. carrying 83 jars of moonshine | Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota | WTSP.com: "Polk deputies say they have arrested a Tennessee man who was transporting 83 jars of moonshine to a Sebring bar.Daniel McGuire, 40, was spotted by a Lake Wales police officer with several containters of moonshine in the trunk of his car on December 1. After asking the Polk Co. Sheriff's Office for assistance, deputies made a traffic stop on McGuire's car the next day.
They found 83 quart-size jars of moonshine that McGuire claims he was delivering to a restaurant manager in Sebring."
Ancient Mega-Lake Update
Ancient Mega-Lake Found in Egyptian Desert : Discovery News: "The hyper-arid deserts of western Egypt were once home to a lush mega-lake fed by the Nile River's earliest annual floods.
Fossil fish and space shuttle radar images have defined the bed and drainage channels of the long lost lake, which at times was larger than Lake Michigan, stretching as far as 250 miles west of the Nile in southwestern Egypt.
The discovery pushes back the origin of the 'Gift of the Nile' floods to more than a quarter million years ago and paints a drastically different picture of Egypt's environment than is seen today. It also explains the longstanding puzzle of the fossilized fish found in the desert -- fish that are of the same kinds that live in today's Nile River."
Fossil fish and space shuttle radar images have defined the bed and drainage channels of the long lost lake, which at times was larger than Lake Michigan, stretching as far as 250 miles west of the Nile in southwestern Egypt.
The discovery pushes back the origin of the 'Gift of the Nile' floods to more than a quarter million years ago and paints a drastically different picture of Egypt's environment than is seen today. It also explains the longstanding puzzle of the fossilized fish found in the desert -- fish that are of the same kinds that live in today's Nile River."
Gator Update (Robot Edition)
Geekosystem.com: "LEGO Robot Alligator Scares Rats in the Name of Science"
Mysterious Galaxy PB Bestseller List. . .
. . . includes DAMN NEAR DEAD 2: LIVE NOIR OR DIE TRYING. So do you have your copy yet?
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Conway Twitty's sexual orientation sparks fight: "Two neighbors got into a fight Thursday night over the sexual orientation of a country singer.
Joe Capes and Ronald Richards were hanging out in Richards' trailer when they began arguing about the sexual orientation of country music singer Conway Twitty."
Joe Capes and Ronald Richards were hanging out in Richards' trailer when they began arguing about the sexual orientation of country music singer Conway Twitty."
Friday, December 03, 2010
Elaine Kaufman, R. I. P.
I'm sure Stone Barrington will attend the funeral.
Elaine Kaufman, who died Friday at age 81, was owner of Elaine's, the legendary hangout for writers, artists, prize-fighters and everybody who wanted to be anybody—or catch a glimpse of those who were.
Her list of regulars over the years included Woody Allen, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton and dozens more who need little introduction. Ms. Kaufman befriended her customers and even fed them for free when they were down and out."
Here's the Plot for Your Next Inside-the-Walls Thriller
Jackson Conquet killed girlfriend Leslie Paredes and buried body in prison cell | Mail Online: "A prisoner murdered his girlfriend and buried her body in his cell where it lay undetected for THREE months.
Dutchman Jackson Conquet confessed to strangling Leslie Paredes, 22, when she visited him at his Peruvian jail.
He killed her after she said she wanted to end their relationship and hid the body under a concrete bench he built over her grave."
Dutchman Jackson Conquet confessed to strangling Leslie Paredes, 22, when she visited him at his Peruvian jail.
He killed her after she said she wanted to end their relationship and hid the body under a concrete bench he built over her grave."
Here's the Plot for Your Next Teen Hit Man Novel
The Associated Press: Mexican army detains 14-year-old suspected killer: "The Mexican army has detained a 14-year-old suspected of acting as a killer for a drug cartel, an army official said Friday. The boy said he had been working for the cartel since he was 11.
The much-rumored alleged young assassin nicknamed 'El Ponchis' was captured late Thursday at the airport near Cuernavaca with his 16-year-old sister as they tried to catch a flight to Tijuana and flee the country, said the official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.
The sister told reporters that they planned to cross the border to San Diego, California, where their mother lives.
The two were brought to the office of the Mexican Attorney General's Office in Cuernavaca early Friday, where the boy told reporters that he had participated in at least four decapitations. The source said his sister was accused of getting rid of the bodies by dumping them on streets and freeways."
The much-rumored alleged young assassin nicknamed 'El Ponchis' was captured late Thursday at the airport near Cuernavaca with his 16-year-old sister as they tried to catch a flight to Tijuana and flee the country, said the official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.
The sister told reporters that they planned to cross the border to San Diego, California, where their mother lives.
The two were brought to the office of the Mexican Attorney General's Office in Cuernavaca early Friday, where the boy told reporters that he had participated in at least four decapitations. The source said his sister was accused of getting rid of the bodies by dumping them on streets and freeways."
Ron Santo, R. I. P.
Ron Santo, Longtime Cubs Stalwart, Dies at 70 - NYTimes.com: "Ron Santo, a star third baseman of the Chicago Cubs and their longtime broadcaster who became a revered figure for his exploits on the field and his battle against juvenile diabetes, died Thursday in a hospital in Arizona. He was 70.
[. . . .]
Playing for the Chicago Cubs from 1960 to 1973, then for a final season with the Chicago White Sox, Santo hit 342 career home runs, won five Gold Glove awards for fielding and was named an All-Star nine times."
Playing for the Chicago Cubs from 1960 to 1973, then for a final season with the Chicago White Sox, Santo hit 342 career home runs, won five Gold Glove awards for fielding and was named an All-Star nine times."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Texas Will See Dramatic Gains in US House Seats: "Fast-growing Texas is poised to be the biggest winner of all when it comes to picking up influence in Congress in the next few years, and Republicans are salivating at the prospect of fattening the largest GOP delegation in Washington.
Texas will gain at least three and possibly four seats in Congress, as population trends continue to push people out of the rust and snow belts and into the sunbelt, demographers say."
Texas will gain at least three and possibly four seats in Congress, as population trends continue to push people out of the rust and snow belts and into the sunbelt, demographers say."
12 Days of Bookmas -- Day 3 #12daysbooks
The contest at BookEnds continues. Mystery fans should get this one pretty quickly, depending on the clues. Yesterday's contest ended almost before it began. My clue is at the end of the entry. Go to the link if you know the answer and leave the answer in the comments.
I’ve always been an idea person, so it was so exciting to me to learn that not only would I be editing books, but I could actually help create ideas. Did you know that one of the ideas I developed as an editor more than 12 years ago is still being published today? Hmm, maybe that’s a topic for another Day of Bookmas.
Today’s question, however, is about my boss. She’s still working in publishing, but in a very different capacity. Today she’s a successful author who is coming up with fabulous ideas, but writing them herself. Who is this editor-turned-author and what 10-book YA series did she write that was later made into a television program (which she also worked on)?
My Clue: The truth is out there.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Record 57 gallons of PCP seized in Houston | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "The largest seizure of the narcotic PCP in the history of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration resulted in the arrest of nine Houston residents Wednesday for allegedly conspiring to distribute enough of the powerful psychedelic to get at least 28 million people high, according to expert estimates."
Crossroad Press Contest
Some of you (you know who you are) have already reviewed my Crossroad Press digital books, so you have entries in the contest if you want them. Details at the link.
The prize: A 2GB Sansa Clip MP3 player, brand new, and loaded with Crossroad Press & Springbrook Digital audiobooks – over $300.00 in Value…"
Escondido Leads the Way
Alleged Owner of Massive Homemade Bomb Arsenal Is a Mystery Man - FoxNews.com: "Is he a terrorist or just a sick man?
That is the question police and federal authorities are still asking after the arrest last week of George Djura Jakubec, whose rented house in Escondido, Calif., contained what local authorities called “the largest quantity of homemade explosives found in one location in the history of the United States.”"
That is the question police and federal authorities are still asking after the arrest last week of George Djura Jakubec, whose rented house in Escondido, Calif., contained what local authorities called “the largest quantity of homemade explosives found in one location in the history of the United States.”"
Forgotten Books: DOUBLE BANG -- Heywood Gould
Maybe everybody remembers Heywood Gould's novels, but I don't ever hear anybody talking about them. I don't know why, since this one's both very good and exactly the kind of thing that people seem to be looking for these days. By that I mean that it's hard and fast and filled with people so screwed up that nobody has much of a chance of coming out of things in good shape, not even the good guys. Except that there aren't any good guys, really. They're almost as bad as the bad guys. There's a big cast: Corrupt cops, a hit man, a mafia drug dealer who loves his own product, a psychiatrist who falls for her sociopath patient, and many others. Gould takes the time to give many of them a backstory, but in doing so he doesn't slow down the action. I've never seen the movie made from the book (directed by Gould), but maybe the flashbacks would be a problem there. Here, they're not.
As for the plot, it's another one of those that I can't really describe. There's nothing in it that you'll find unfamiliar, but Gould's way of telling his story is funny, trenchant, goofy all at once. Check it out. As for me, I'm going to read another of his books soon.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Life as We Don't Know It
NASA Finds New Life: "At their conference today, NASA scientist Felisa Wolfe Simon will announce that they have found a bacteria whose DNA is completely alien to what we know today. Instead of using phosphorus, the bacteria uses arsenic. All life on Earth is made of six components: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. Every being, from the smallest amoeba to the largest whale, share the same life stream. Our DNA blocks are all the same.
But not this one. This one is completely different."
But not this one. This one is completely different."
It's About Time
'Benji' to be resurrected - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety: "Walden Media wants to put scruffy but lovable canine Benji back on the bigscreen.
The Fox-based shingle, behind such family fare as the 'Chronicles of Narnia' franchise, has paired with Brandon Camp, son of 'Benji' creator Joe Camp Jr., to write, direct and produce a pic that will reboot the character for a new crop of young moviegoers."
The Fox-based shingle, behind such family fare as the 'Chronicles of Narnia' franchise, has paired with Brandon Camp, son of 'Benji' creator Joe Camp Jr., to write, direct and produce a pic that will reboot the character for a new crop of young moviegoers."
Chuck Norris Leads the Way
Chuck Norris to become honorary Texas Ranger – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs: "He played one on TV, and now actor Chuck Norris is going to become an honorary Texas Ranger on Thursday."
They'll Sleep Soundly in Denver Tonight
Toy robot detours traffic near Coors Field - The Denver Post: "A robot met its end near Coors Field tonight when the Denver Police Department Bomb Squad detonated the 'suspicious object,' bringing to an end the hours-long standoff between police and the approximately eight-inch tall figurine."
The Second Day of Bookmas
The contest at BookEnds continues. Mystery fans should get this one pretty quickly, depending on the clues. Yesterday's contest ended almost before it began. Almost any clue I give will be too easy, but it'll be at the end of this post. Go to the link if you know the answer and leave the answer in the comments.
I usually gravitated toward romantic suspense and gothics, but while stocking the shelves and getting to know the store’s inventory, I became intrigued with a mystery series that I’d also watched on the small screen. It wasn’t my usual fare, but I was hooked.
Can you name the series and the author?
My clue: Endless reruns.
No Comment Department
In bra, panties and wheelchair, woman goes through Oklahoma City airport screening this morning | NewsOK.com: "A woman who passed through security at Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport in a wheelchair and her underwear missed her flight Tuesday, and she said TSA denied her boarding. A TSA spokeswoman wouldn't say if the woman was denied by TSA employees."
Pic and video at the link, if you dare.
Hat tip to David Cranmer.
Discount Noir?
Text message leads to Wal-Mart theft arrests - FOX16.com Little Rock, AR: "Wal-Mart is known for offering good deals to customers. But North Little Rock police say one woman walked out with $76,500 dollars in cash over the weekend."
Hat tip to John Duke.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Hard Case Crime Update from Charles Ardai
Hi --
Thought you might be interested in this tidbit of news that broke this morning: Lawrence Block, one of the most decorated and popular authors in the crime fiction firmament (four-time Edgar winner, four-time Shamus winner, MWA Grand Master, New York Times best seller), is writing a brand new book for Hard Case Crime, and it's going to be our debut title when we re-launch the series in September 2011.
Titled GETTING OFF: A Novel of Sex and Violence, the book tells the story of a beautiful and self-confident young woman who sets herself a mission and carries it out with ruthless single-mindedness -- to track down and murder every man she's ever slept with. (And it's not a small number, especially since she finds herself sleeping with a few more along the way.) The character is one of Block's most memorable, the first new series character he's introduced since J.P Keller in HIT MAN a dozen years ago. Like Keller, she first appeared in a short story Block found himself writing, and after she'd stuck around for a second tale and then a third, he realized he had a novel-length story to tell about her. Thus was GETTING OFF born.
These days, it's hard to describe any book as shocking -- it's 2010, sex doesn't shock us anymore, nor even, really, does violence -- but I promise, this book is shocking. In the best possible way. There are moments in the story when I predict even the most jaded reader will find his or her jaw dropping.
And in recognition of the fact that the book is, shall we say, somewhat...spicy...the author has decided it's appropriate to revive a pseudonym he hasn't used in nearly 40 years, under which he wrote seven highly erotic novels in the 1960s and 70s. Accordingly, GETTING OFF will be published as by "Lawrence Block, writing as 'Jill Emerson'." As a long-time fan not only of Larry's work but of Jill's, I have to say it's exciting to see her return after too many after decades of Salinger-like silence...
Couple of other bits: GETTING OFF will not only be our re-launch debut title but also our first ever hardcover original. We plan to bring it out in paperback as well, of course -- but it felt like an occasion like this deserved a hardcover to commemorate it. The cover is being painted by Greg Manchess, winner of multiple gold medals from the Society of Illustrators and creator of such iconic cover images for Hard Case Crime as FADE TO BLONDE and THE VENGEFUL VIRGIN. The book will be the first published under our new collaboration with UK-based Titan Publishing and will be distributed in the U.S. and Canada (as all of Titan's books are) by Random House.
This is easily one of the most thrilling announcements I've had the privilege to make since creating Hard Case Crime. I grew up reading and loving Larry's books, and the idea of getting to collaborate with him to bring a new one into the world is...beyond words. We're honored that he chose us as the home for this book and look forward to giving GETTING OFF the kick-off it so richly deserves.
If you have questions, you know where to find me.
Best,
Charles
----------
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime
A Contest
Top Suspense Group: Top Suspense Round Robin Short Story Contest: "The original Top Suspense Group members: Max Allan Collins, Vicki Hendricks, Ed Gorman, Bill Crider, Harry Shannon and myself wrote a short crime story round robin style, and starting Dec 6th I'll start posting the story here.
The rules: no planning, no coordination, no safety nets. Each day one of us wrote up to 250 words of a short story and passed it onto the next writer, with each writer eventually working on two segments. The only leeway was the last writer got to go past the 250 word limit to try to finish up the story, and the only editing done was for consistency errors.
So starting December 6th I'll be posting a story segment each day with the author's name removed. After 12 days the story will be finished (one way or the other). At that point we'll be offering free books to the first 5 people who can match each segment to the author who wrote it!"
The rules: no planning, no coordination, no safety nets. Each day one of us wrote up to 250 words of a short story and passed it onto the next writer, with each writer eventually working on two segments. The only leeway was the last writer got to go past the 250 word limit to try to finish up the story, and the only editing done was for consistency errors.
So starting December 6th I'll be posting a story segment each day with the author's name removed. After 12 days the story will be finished (one way or the other). At that point we'll be offering free books to the first 5 people who can match each segment to the author who wrote it!"
Hard Case Crime Returns
Hard Case Crime Returns with New Lawrence Block Novel and New Publisher: "The Hard Case Crime series of mystery novels, which was published by Dorchester between 2004 and earlier this year when the series went on hiatus, will resume publication in September 2011 with a new novel by acclaimed mystery writer Lawrence Block, whose new book Getting Off: A Novel of Sex and Violence will be the first hardcover original to be published by Hard Case. The series will also begin a relationship with a new foreign house, the UK-based Titan Publishing, which is distributed by Random House in the US.
[. . . .]
Getting Off will be credited to “Lawrence Block writing as Jill Emerson,” a pseudonym Block last used decades ago. The story follows a female serial killer bent on murdering all the men she has slept with in her life. In its previous incarnation, Hard Case Crime published five novels by Block, all of which were reprints of previously published titles. This is his first new book for the series."
[. . . .]
Getting Off will be credited to “Lawrence Block writing as Jill Emerson,” a pseudonym Block last used decades ago. The story follows a female serial killer bent on murdering all the men she has slept with in her life. In its previous incarnation, Hard Case Crime published five novels by Block, all of which were reprints of previously published titles. This is his first new book for the series."
More at the link.
Kasey Lansdale Update
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/1/10
Contact:
Kasey Lansdale
936.552.4930
info@kaseylansdale.com
Kasey Lansdale presents Songwriter 101 Workshop with Grammy Nominee recording artist and songwriter Roxie Dean.
Center, TX – Singer, songwriter Kasey Lansdale will host a three hour workshop designed to give performers and songwriters a unique learning experience opportunity to work with one of Nashville’s most respected singer/songwriters, Grammy Nominee, Roxie Dean.
Dean’s songwriting career includes a 2001 Nashville Songwriters Association International "Top 10 Songs That You Wish You’d Written" award for "Why They Call It Falling,” and a Grammy nomination for co-writing "When I think about Angels.”
Dean’s songwriting credits also include cuts by Reba McEntire, Tracy Lawrence, Chely Wright, Tammy Cochran, Jolie Edwards, and Tamara Walker to name a few.
Songwriters at all levels will benefit from the critiques and experience of working with Dean.
Topics would include but are not limited to:
· Song Critique
· Copyrights and Publishing
· Fine-tuning your Songwriting Craft
· Preparing your Songs for a Demo Recording
· Understanding what publishing companies are looking for
· The art of the “Co-Write”
· Song Structure, and when you can “break the rules”
Learn the tips and tricks of the professionals in the fast paced careers of singing and songwriting by attending the Stage Performance/Songwriter 101 workshop
DATE : February 5th, 2011 at the Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library,
All workshop attendants will receive a FREE pass into the acoustic performance of Roxie Dean and Kasey Lansdale for the evening of the Workshop.
All others interested in the performance only, please contact info@kaseylansdale.com
To Infinity . . . and Beyond!
Wildside Double #6: Alien StarSwarm, by Robert Sheckley / Human's Burden, by Damien Broderick and Rory Barnes (trade pb)
This new double recycles a couple of covers from 1950s Infinity magazines. I have both of them.
Hat tip to Missions Unknown.
There Will Always Be an England
Chicken Sweaters: British Knitters Craft Jumpers for Rescued Birds: "In most places, a featherless chicken soon gets eaten. In England, it gets a sweater.
For the past several months, a small group of knitters in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, have been knitting sweaters for featherless hens rescued from British poultry farms."
For the past several months, a small group of knitters in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, have been knitting sweaters for featherless hens rescued from British poultry farms."
A Contest
Yesterday I provide this link to an explanation of a contest the BookEnds agency is running. Here's the first day's entry. I'll give you a clue at the end, and you can go to the BookEnds site for links to other clues if you want to play along.
One of the books I was asked to write my report on was a romance (weirdly enough, I have no recollection of what the other book was). It was also the very first romance I ever read, and the book that made me fall in love with romance.
What was the book and who is the author?
A Clue: MacKinlay Kantor
Gator Update (Charges Pending Edition)
St. Petersburg Times | tampabay.com | Know it now.: "Charges are pending in an accident involving a Collier County man who died after another driver swerved to avoid an alligator on the road."
Gone in Six Seconds — The Shocking Truth of Barrel Life � Daily Bulletin
Gone in Six Seconds — The Shocking Truth of Barrel Life: "Here’s a little known fact that may startle most readers, even experienced gunsmiths: your barrel wears out in a matter of seconds. The useful life of a typical match barrel, in terms of actual bullet-in-barrel time, is only a few seconds. How can that be, you ask?"
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