Saturday, May 01, 2010
Spinetingler Awards Update
2010 Spinetingler Award Best Novel: Legend WINNER | Spinetingler: "Spinetingler would like to congratulate all of the nominees and thank all of the voters. Just a reminder that a summary post with all of the winners will available this evening.
With 631 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Novel: Legend is…
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly"
With 631 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Novel: Legend is…
The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly"
Spinetingler would like to congratulate all of the nominees and thank all of the voters. Just a reminder that a summary post with all of the winners will available this evening.
With 642 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Novel: New Voice is…
The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville
Spinetingler would like to congratulate all of the nominees and thank all of the voters. Just a reminder that a summary post with all of the winners will available this evening.
With 530 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Novel: Rising Star is…
50 Grand by Adrian McKinty
Spinetingler Awards Update
2010 Spinetingler Award Best Short Story on the Web WINNER | Spinetingler: "Spinetingler would like to congratulate all of the nominees and thank all of the voters. Just a reminder that a summary post with all of the winners will available this evening.
With 532 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Short Story on the Web is…
"Insatiable" by Hillary Davidson from Beat to a Pulp
With 532 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Short Story on the Web is…
"Insatiable" by Hillary Davidson from Beat to a Pulp
Spinetingler Awards Update
2010 Spinetingler Award Best Cover WINNER | Spinetingler: "Spinetingler would like to congratulate all of the nominees and thank all of the voters. Just a reminder that a summary post with all of the winners will available this evening.
With 806 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Cover is…
Finch written by Jeff VanderMeer. Cover Illustrated and designed by John Coulthart"
With 806 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Cover is…
Finch written by Jeff VanderMeer. Cover Illustrated and designed by John Coulthart"
Podcast Interview with Michael Bracken
Podcast interview with mystery and short story writer Michael Bracken: "The 22nd episode of the Reading and Writing podcast features an interview with Michael Bracken, author of 11 books, including the novel All White Girls, and 1,200 shorter works."
Bracken's one of the busiest short story writers around. Check it out.
Spinetingler Awards Update
Special Services to the Industry and Community - Bookgasm
Best Reviewer - Lesa Holstine
Best Reviewer - Lesa Holstine
Guest Blogger Jeffrey A. Cohen
The Killing of Mindi Quintana, by Jeffrey A. Cohen—An excerpt
The following is an excerpt from my new Philadelphia-set legal thriller, The Killing of Mindi Quintana. The scene takes place after Mindi’s murder, at the tail end of reporter Manny Sykes’s jailhouse interview with Freddy Builder, the accused. The crime was brutal, sensational and newsworthy. Media coverage of Freddy, a formerly obscure department store manager, is captivating the city. And Freddy is blossoming in the light and heat of public fascination. A new celebrity murderer is taking the stage—and rising to his role.
Excerpted from Chapter 16:
Freddy moved so that his back was against the cool wall again. He relaxed against it, enjoying the contrast to the overly heated cell while he listened to himself answer the reporter’s question, and his next and next, until he was sure the sun must be up though it was dim as ever where they were.
He sensed the reactions his answers engendered and knew they didn’t depend on Sykes’s belief in their truthfulness. In fact, Freddy was sure that much of what he said Sykes didn’t believe at all. Freddy didn’t need him to.
Because despite the dispassionate questioning, the crime Sykes had already written about was the alleged passionate one of a lover, a roar of revenge against beauty’s rejection, the explosion of an artist in corporate-American bondage. The buds of it all were in his stories so far. They were there in his hinting that Mindi was promiscuous. In his repetitious allusion to her father’s criminality. In the unquestioning acceptance of Freddy as blossoming writer. In his rendering of Chanet’s and the sympathetic credence given Freddy’s hatred of the store.
“To feel that much!” seemed to seep from the pauses in Freddy’s reconstructions, as Manny pointed and Freddy watered the buds. “Enough to kill her!” It obviously fascinated him. It fascinated them both.
And Manny would have had to admit, had he been privy to Freddy’s thinking, that he did see his stories in epic terms, and that when he didn’t, he figured out how to. It was how he made sense of things, how he knew he’d gotten them right. It was when the elements fell into place, and he knew he’d seen all the way through. It was how he had gained a readership and professional acclaim. How he got to the truth, since all truth was epic.
For both of them now, as they talked through the night, the antihero emerged further and was a type of tragic hero nonetheless. The type Manny appreciated and wrote about, and the type, without realizing it before, Freddy had known how to be.
He remembered thinking in the store that when he made it into gear he would know what to do. That he would be witty for reporters, pensive when appropriate, insightful always, and clever sometimes—and he was. That when people cared what he thought, he would think great things—and it was true. That when they came to him, he would know what to say—and he did. That when there was no question of his stature, they would admire his work. And he was sure now they would. He would be accepted as a writer now. He was sure of it.
Two weeks ago, Manfred R. Sykes would have sneered at a man forced to live his life in a department store. Now he was squinting in the dark hoping Freddy wouldn’t throw him out.
© Jeffrey A. Cohen 2010
For more information or to contact Jeffrey A. Cohen, author of The Killing of Mindi Quintana:
Website: www.JeffreyACohenBooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JeffreyACohen
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeffacohen
Linked-In: www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyacohen
2010 Spinetingler Award Best Mystery/Crime Fiction Press, Publisher or Imprint
2010 Spinetingler Award Best Mystery/Crime Fiction Press, Publisher or Imprint WINNER | Spinetingler: "Spinetingler would like to congratulate all of the nominees and thank all of the voters. Just a reminder that a summary post with all of the winners will available this evening.
With 516 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Mystery/Crime Fiction Press, Publisher or Imprint is…
Busted Flush Press"
With 516 votes cast in this category the winner of the 2010 Spinetingler Award for the Best Mystery/Crime Fiction Press, Publisher or Imprint is…
Busted Flush Press"
The Lineup 4 Now Accepting Submissions
If You Want to Know About My Life...: The Lineup 4 (2011) Submissions Open: "The general submission period for The Lineup 4 opens today and runs through July 31, 2010. We are open to poems 50 lines or less. Keep in mind that our chapbook pages are 6x9 inches with 1-inch margins all around."
Details at the link.
Derringer Award Winners
Short Mystery Fiction Society: 2010 SMFS Derringer Award Winners
Nominees and winners listed at the link.
YES They Can
High School Graduation: YES Prep Sends Every Senior To College - KIAH: "YES Prep Public Schools celebrated a momentous occasion Friday, graduating 100 percent of its seniors. Not only that, but for the 10th year in a row every single one of them is accepted to a four-year college or university.
For that reason, YES Prep doesn't just call it graduation, the school calls it college signing day.
However, this achievement isn't because the school is flooded with top performing public school students with private school money. YES Prep is a free public school. Ninety percent of the kids are first generation college bound students and 86 percent of them are low-income. Furthermore, most students enter the YES system at least one grade level behind in math and English skills."
For that reason, YES Prep doesn't just call it graduation, the school calls it college signing day.
However, this achievement isn't because the school is flooded with top performing public school students with private school money. YES Prep is a free public school. Ninety percent of the kids are first generation college bound students and 86 percent of them are low-income. Furthermore, most students enter the YES system at least one grade level behind in math and English skills."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Houston police beat Chinese diplomat - Washington Times: "China said Friday that a Chinese diplomat in the U.S. was beaten and injured by Houston police and urged an investigation to ensure diplomatic practices are not violated."
The 10 Most Expensive Poetry Books Ever Sold by AbeBooks
The Most Precious Poetry: "Even during national poetry month, we all to often hear there is little demand for poetry from today’s readers. But in the world of rare books, poets are revered by bibliophiles and collectors, and AbeBooks regularly sells examples of their finest work for four-figure prices. T.S. Eliot, Wilfred Owen, Charles Bukowski, Robert Frost and many other famous poetic names from the 20th century are in steady demand, while Robert Burns, William Blake, Lord Bryon, John Keats and William Wordsworth ensure 19th century poetry is not forgotten. And then there is Shakespeare and the two Johns – Milton and Donne.
From haikus to epics, from limericks to sonnets, from strict rhyme schemes to free verse, poetry is a vast genre covering countless subjects. Dip into the world of collectible poetry and also discover the 10 most expensive poetry books ever sold by AbeBooks."
From haikus to epics, from limericks to sonnets, from strict rhyme schemes to free verse, poetry is a vast genre covering countless subjects. Dip into the world of collectible poetry and also discover the 10 most expensive poetry books ever sold by AbeBooks."
Friday, April 30, 2010
Here's the Plot of Your Next Robert Ludlum Rip-Off
Los Angeles police hunting mystery man likened to Jason Bourne | Herald Sun: "LOS Angeles police are hunting a mystery man who fled as they raided his apartment, leaving behind piles of bogus cash, high-tech counterfeiting equipment and weapons.
The Los Angeles Times quoted police officers as saying that the 33-year-old suspect escaped from his high-rise apartment via a back window in a scene reminiscent of the Bourne Identity action films.
'He escaped like Jason Bourne,' Los Angeles Police Department deputy chief Mike Downing of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau, told the Times.
After being given the slip, detectives discovered stacks of counterfeit $US100 bills totaling $US15,000, sophisticated counterfeiting equipment, a camera tripod and a cache of weapons including an AK-47 assault rifle."
The Los Angeles Times quoted police officers as saying that the 33-year-old suspect escaped from his high-rise apartment via a back window in a scene reminiscent of the Bourne Identity action films.
'He escaped like Jason Bourne,' Los Angeles Police Department deputy chief Mike Downing of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau, told the Times.
After being given the slip, detectives discovered stacks of counterfeit $US100 bills totaling $US15,000, sophisticated counterfeiting equipment, a camera tripod and a cache of weapons including an AK-47 assault rifle."
Set the DVR
'Swamp Men' wrangle gators, hogs on new TV show: "Ed Woods says even a dead alligator can be dangerous.
Woods, park director at Billie Swamp Safari in the Everglades, says he was barefoot when he stepped on a dead gator and got an infection that put him in the hospital.
But the gators he deals with in National Geographic's new 'Swamp Men' series are very much alive.
One that is 6 feet long has to be removed from the park's airboat dock in the first episode.
In the second episode, Woods and his crew chase after a 9-foot rogue crocodile, nicknamed 'Houdini' because he has eluded them for 12 years."
Woods, park director at Billie Swamp Safari in the Everglades, says he was barefoot when he stepped on a dead gator and got an infection that put him in the hospital.
But the gators he deals with in National Geographic's new 'Swamp Men' series are very much alive.
One that is 6 feet long has to be removed from the park's airboat dock in the first episode.
In the second episode, Woods and his crew chase after a 9-foot rogue crocodile, nicknamed 'Houdini' because he has eluded them for 12 years."
Happy Birthday, Willie Nelson!
Willie Nelson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 30, 1933) is an American country singer-songwriter, author, poet, actor and activist. He reached his greatest fame during the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, and remains iconic, especially in American popular culture."
Guest Post Tomorrow
Tomorrow I'll have a guest post from Jeff Cohen, who's doing a blog tour to promote his new novel. He'll provide us with an excerpt and a little info about the book. I quite enjoyed Cohen's As Dog is My Witness, and I'm sure the new one is good, too.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
WLBZ2.com | Bangor, ME | Cop caught smoking pot on duty in patrol car: "A�Texas police officer was arrested Wednesday after he was caught with marijuana while on duty.
Officer Wesley Lamb faces charges of drug possession and tampering with evidence."
Officer Wesley Lamb faces charges of drug possession and tampering with evidence."
Book Signing Tomorrow
I'll be signing copies of Mississippi Vivian tomorrow at 5:00 P. M. at Houston's Murder by the Book. If you're in the vicinity, come on by. If you're not in the vicinity, but want a signed copy, get in touch with the store. They'll even get you a personalized copy. You can even e-mail them.
I Wish I Thought this Was an Exaggeration
BP oil spill disaster: The end of life as we know it in the Gulf of Mexico: "BP oil spill disaster: The end of life as we know it in the Gulf of Mexico
Even if the well that is spewing crude recklessly into the Gulf of Mexico were capped tomorrow, the damage is already done. Hundreds of thousands of animals are going to die. The fishing industry will be devastated for a generation.
However, this underwater funnel of oil is not going to stop tomorrow. NBC news reports that BP suspects it may go on for months. At the current rate of 200,000 gallons a day, this catastrophe is immeasurable. No one has ever seen anything like it.
Much of what we have come to depend on the Gulf of Mexico for is not likely to recover in our lifetime."
Even if the well that is spewing crude recklessly into the Gulf of Mexico were capped tomorrow, the damage is already done. Hundreds of thousands of animals are going to die. The fishing industry will be devastated for a generation.
However, this underwater funnel of oil is not going to stop tomorrow. NBC news reports that BP suspects it may go on for months. At the current rate of 200,000 gallons a day, this catastrophe is immeasurable. No one has ever seen anything like it.
Much of what we have come to depend on the Gulf of Mexico for is not likely to recover in our lifetime."
Another List I'm Not On
Full List - The 2010 TIME 100 - TIME
Update: Judy's oncologist, Dr. Larry Kwak, is on the list under "Thinkers."
Stay off Her Lawn!
Thelma Lou robbed in Mayberry; cops get their man - CharlotteObserver.com: "Dating Barney Fife doesn't insulate you from crime. Nor does living in the town that inspired the fictional hamlet of Mayberry.
Betty Lynn, who played the bumbling deputy's sweetheart on 'The Andy Griffith Show' in the 1960s, was sitting outside a Lowes Foods store after shopping and getting money out to pay for a cab home Sunday when a man snatched her wallet with about $130 in it and ran off.
Lynn is 83 but still a force to be reckoned with.
'I jumped up and started yelling, 'Thief! Thief!' and ran after him,' she said Thursday."
Betty Lynn, who played the bumbling deputy's sweetheart on 'The Andy Griffith Show' in the 1960s, was sitting outside a Lowes Foods store after shopping and getting money out to pay for a cab home Sunday when a man snatched her wallet with about $130 in it and ran off.
Lynn is 83 but still a force to be reckoned with.
'I jumped up and started yelling, 'Thief! Thief!' and ran after him,' she said Thursday."
We're Number 4!
Study: Astros 4th most-hated team in MLB |
khou.com
| Houston Sports News and Scores | KHOU.com: "According to a formula created by The Nielsen Company, the Houston Astros ranked No. 4 on the list of most hated teams in all of Major League Baseball.
The Cleveland Indians are the most detested, coming in at No. 1."
khou.com
| Houston Sports News and Scores | KHOU.com: "According to a formula created by The Nielsen Company, the Houston Astros ranked No. 4 on the list of most hated teams in all of Major League Baseball.
The Cleveland Indians are the most detested, coming in at No. 1."
Forgotten Books: HICKEY & BOGGS -- Phillip Rock
I still remember going to the theater to see the movie version of Hickey and Boggs in Brownwood, Texas, back in 1972. It was an exhilarating experience, let me tell you, and I thought the movie would be a big hit. I was wrong, of course, as I usually am when I make such predictions. I'm glad the movie is finally available on DVD so I can see it again.The novelization by "Phillip Rock" does a pretty good job of capturing the dark, gritty atmosphere of the film. This is Los Angeles as Hell, and both Hickey and Boggs (see photo on the book), are just about an inch away from becoming part of it. The only thing they have is their job, and even the job is "not about anything."
The action in the book, as in the movie, is outrageous, and even funny if you're in the right mood. Walter Hill did the screenplay that the book is based on, and he was really in a groove in the early '70s.
My own books have two small homages to the book and the movie versions. So small nobody but me will ever know what they are, and I'm not telling. It was great fun to sneak them in. If you haven't seen the movie, you should. The book's not essential, but it's still fun. And even after nearly 40 years, I can detect some of the differences between the two. I enjoyed reading the book again, and I've put the movie in the old Netflix queue.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The Edgar Awards
Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce the Winners for the 2010 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2009. The Edgar® Awards were presented to the winners at our 64th Gala Banquet, April 29, 2010 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City.
BEST NOVEL
The Last Child by John Hart (Minotaur Books)
BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur Books)
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Body Blows by Marc Strange (Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries)
BEST FACT CRIME
Columbine by Dave Cullen (Hachette Book Group - Twelve)
BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
The Lineup: The World’s Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives edited by Otto Penzler (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company)
BEST SHORT STORY
"Amapola" – Phoenix Noir by Luis Alberto Urrea (Akashic Books)
BEST JUVENILE
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books)
BEST YOUNG ADULT
Reality Check by Peter Abrahams (HarperCollins Children’s Books – HarperTeen)
BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
"Place of Execution," Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson (PBS/WGBH Boston)
ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD
"A Dreadful Day" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Dan Warthman (Dell Magazines)
GRAND MASTER
Dorothy Gilman
RAVEN AWARDS
Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Zev Buffman, International Mystery Writers’ Festival
ELLERY QUEEN AWARD
Poisoned Pen Press (Barbara Peters & Robert Rosenwald)
THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
(Presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, April 28, 2010)
Awakening by S.J. Bolton (Minotaur Books)
# # # #
The EDGAR (and logo) are Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the Mystery Writers of America, Inc.
BEST NOVEL
The Last Child by John Hart (Minotaur Books)
BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur Books)
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Body Blows by Marc Strange (Dundurn Press – Castle Street Mysteries)
BEST FACT CRIME
Columbine by Dave Cullen (Hachette Book Group - Twelve)
BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL
The Lineup: The World’s Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives edited by Otto Penzler (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company)
BEST SHORT STORY
"Amapola" – Phoenix Noir by Luis Alberto Urrea (Akashic Books)
BEST JUVENILE
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Books)
BEST YOUNG ADULT
Reality Check by Peter Abrahams (HarperCollins Children’s Books – HarperTeen)
BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY
"Place of Execution," Teleplay by Patrick Harbinson (PBS/WGBH Boston)
ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD
"A Dreadful Day" – Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine by Dan Warthman (Dell Magazines)
GRAND MASTER
Dorothy Gilman
RAVEN AWARDS
Mystery Lovers Bookshop, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Zev Buffman, International Mystery Writers’ Festival
ELLERY QUEEN AWARD
Poisoned Pen Press (Barbara Peters & Robert Rosenwald)
THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
(Presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, April 28, 2010)
Awakening by S.J. Bolton (Minotaur Books)
# # # #
The EDGAR (and logo) are Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the Mystery Writers of America, Inc.
Ernest Chiriaka, R. I. P.
KILLER COVERS: Good-bye, Darcy: "Ernest Chiriaka, an American artist who--using the moniker “Darcy”--became famous during the mid-20th century for his often sexually suggestive but consistently captivating paperback book cover illustrations, passed away this last Tuesday, April 27, at his longtime home in Great Neck, New York. The son of Greek immigrants, he’d been born Anastassios Kyriakakos in May 1913, so was fast approaching 97 years old at the time of his death."
Sample covers at the link.
Some of You Might Want to Bid
BBC News - John Lennon lyrics 'to fetch $700,000': "John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to the Beatles song A Day in the Life are expected to make up to $700,000 at auction.
The double-sided sheet of paper with notes written in felt marker and blue ink will go under the hammer at a sale in New York on 18 June.
The lyric sheet also contains some corrections and some other notes penned in red ink."
The double-sided sheet of paper with notes written in felt marker and blue ink will go under the hammer at a sale in New York on 18 June.
The lyric sheet also contains some corrections and some other notes penned in red ink."
Hat tip to Scott Cupp.
Paging Jeff Meyerson
London firm Today Translations give tourists a hand in understanding confusing Brooklynese: "Today Translations has posted an ad on craigslist seeking speakers of ''Brooklyn English,' with good knowledge of accent, slang, nuances' to help foreigners who 'find it an unexpected challenge.'
The freelance gig pays up to $210 a day. It's open to anyone who can decipher such Brooklynisms as 'not for nothin,'' 'cawfee' and 'whatayagonna do?'"
The freelance gig pays up to $210 a day. It's open to anyone who can decipher such Brooklynisms as 'not for nothin,'' 'cawfee' and 'whatayagonna do?'"
Hilary Davidson Take Note
Youth admits putting antifreeze in mom's coffee - Chicago Breaking News: "Lake County prosecutors say a Lindenhurst teenager has admitted putting antifreeze in his mother's coffee maker.
Eighteen-year-old Michael Tangney Junior pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated battery lawyers in the case and the judge determined that he will probably be placed on probation.
His parents don't want him imprisoned.
Tangney was arrested after his mother, Joyce Tangney, became ill from ethylene glycol poisoning. The substance is used in antifreeze and de-icing solutions."
Eighteen-year-old Michael Tangney Junior pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated battery lawyers in the case and the judge determined that he will probably be placed on probation.
His parents don't want him imprisoned.
Tangney was arrested after his mother, Joyce Tangney, became ill from ethylene glycol poisoning. The substance is used in antifreeze and de-icing solutions."
If the headline doesn't make sense to you, you haven't read the first issue of Needle yet.
USA! USA!
Townsville forced to import sperm from US | Herald Sun: "THE QUEENSLAND city of Townsville has turned to the US for sperm donations as Australia faces a critical shortage, the Townsville Bulletin reports.
Queensland Fertility Group, the largest fertility clinic in Townsville, 1300 kilometers from Brisbane, pays more than $700 an ampule for sperm imported from the U.S.
In the past, clinics used to rely on university students who were short on cash to donate sperm but these days not enough north Queensland men, or even Australian men, are prepared to donate."
Queensland Fertility Group, the largest fertility clinic in Townsville, 1300 kilometers from Brisbane, pays more than $700 an ampule for sperm imported from the U.S.
In the past, clinics used to rely on university students who were short on cash to donate sperm but these days not enough north Queensland men, or even Australian men, are prepared to donate."
Hat tip to Seepy Benton.
New York Leads the Way
Auxiliary cop drove hookers to dates, married brothel leader, says prosecutor: "He wore NYPD blue but was in bed with a madam.
An auxiliary cop was accused Wednesday of being the hired muscle behind a Brooklyn brothel, ferrying hookers to casinos and threatening to kill a snitch.
Levy Sharon, assigned to Bensonhurst's 62nd Precinct, even married the lady of the house so she could get a green card, officials said."
An auxiliary cop was accused Wednesday of being the hired muscle behind a Brooklyn brothel, ferrying hookers to casinos and threatening to kill a snitch.
Levy Sharon, assigned to Bensonhurst's 62nd Precinct, even married the lady of the house so she could get a green card, officials said."
Elmer Kelton Interview Part 2
This interview appeared in Paperback Quarterly, Volume 1, Number 2, Summer 1979. Part 2 will appear tomorrow.
Who Says Hollywood is Out of Ideas?
Magic 8 Ball to Become an Action-Adventure Movie | WorstPreviews.com: "Now that every single toy is being turned into a feature film (Battleship, Ouija Board), Paramount Pictures has decided that it's the perfect time for a Magic 8 Ball movie. The studio separated from Shadyac and assigned its former production chief Brad Weston to head up the project.
NY Magazine has learned that the plan is to turn the Magic 8 Ball into an action-adventure movie similar to 'National Treasure.' And Weston has already hired screenwriters Jon Gunn and John Mann (Mercy Streets, Boo U.) to pen the script."
NY Magazine has learned that the plan is to turn the Magic 8 Ball into an action-adventure movie similar to 'National Treasure.' And Weston has already hired screenwriters Jon Gunn and John Mann (Mercy Streets, Boo U.) to pen the script."
He Was Looking for a Cheap Rental
Alligator killed at League City apartments: "Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens killed a 7-foot alligator that repeatedly came ashore at a parking lot of an apartment complex.
A resident found the alligator in front of the leasing office of Signature Point Apartments, 1 Signature Point Drive, about noon April 22, manager Susan Cogbill said."
A resident found the alligator in front of the leasing office of Signature Point Apartments, 1 Signature Point Drive, about noon April 22, manager Susan Cogbill said."
League City's about 10 miles from Alvin.
RADIO WESTERN ADVENTURES!!!
Pulp 2.0: New from Pulp 2.0 Press: RADIO WESTERN ADVENTURES!!!: "In between selling vampire pulp fiction for less than a buck (until Saturday Nite!) I spend all my time designing books for all sorts of pulp enthusiasts. I am pleased to announce we are producing (Note I didn't say publishing)...RADIO WESTERN ADVENTURES!
This book is our tribute to western and old time radio enthusiasts who yearn for those thrilling days of yesteryear as envisioned by radio, movie and comics creators back in the 30's and 40's. It's also our chance to pay tribute to Jim Harmon whose work made fandom a much better place.
With a western action novella, articles, galleries and other assorted cool stuff resurrected from the Glut Archives, RADIO WESTERN ADVENTURES is a book that is sure to have back in the saddle. The artwork is by our own Nik Macaluso with cover design by me.
We'll be putting up an information page on Pulp 2.0 Press soon so be on the look out."
Forgotten Music -- '50s Pop
The rock 'n' roll era began in the 1950s, but some of us also remember the '50s as a golden age of pop music. Let's look at one example, male quartets, and why not start with the Ames Brothers. Some of you might remember the only surviving member of the group, Ed Ames, as Mongo on the Daniel Boone TV series, or maybe you just remember his stellar tomahawk toss on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, but he was a heck of a singer as the lead in the quartet. They had their first hit in 1950: "Rag Mop."
That one sold a lot of records, for sure, and it's got the trademark harmonies. A few years later they hit it big again with another novelty song.
Here's another one I've always liked.
I'm a big fan of the pop quartets of the '50s. If we do this again, I'll mention another one or two.
That Ear Should Have Known Better
Police say woman bit off part of Lincoln man's ear: "A Lincoln woman is accused of biting off part of a man's ear who insulted her, police say."
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Dorothy Provine, R. I. P.
Dorothy Provine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Dorothy Provine (January 20, 1935�– April 25, 2010) was an American singer, dancer, actress and comedienne.Provine was born in Deadwood, South Dakota. She appeared in many professional and amateur stage productions while attending the University of Washington. In Hollywood, she starred in The Bonnie Parker Story (1958) and The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959), which was Lou Costello's last screen appearance.
She guest starred on the television series Man Without a Gun, starring Rex Reason. Provine starred in two series: The Alaskans with Roger Moore (1959–60) and The Roaring Twenties (1960–1962), both on ABC. In Roaring Twenties, she played the beautiful singer Pinky Pinkham."
Update: Nice tribute at Inner Toob.
Happy Birthday, Harper Lee!
Harper Lee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Nelle Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926) is an American author known for her 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States for her contribution to literature in 2007.[1]"
I still remember reading To Kill A Mockingbird for the first time 50 years ago. It remains one of my favorite books.
Again with the Gators and Druggies? Yes, Again.
Narcotics Officers Find 2 Alligators During Raid Of Northeast Philly Building - cbs3.com: "Police found more bite than they bargained for while serving a warrant in Northeast Philadelphia Wednesday.
Officers stumbled across a pair of alligators while raiding a garage in an industrial complex on the 8300 block of State Road at about 9:30 a.m."
Officers stumbled across a pair of alligators while raiding a garage in an industrial complex on the 8300 block of State Road at about 9:30 a.m."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Scientists learn to block pain at its source: New non-addictive painkillers from substance similar to ingredient in hot chili peppers: "A substance similar to capsaicin, which gives chili peppers their heat, is generated at the site of pain in the human body. Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have discovered how to block these capsaicin-like molecules and created a new class of non-addictive painkillers."
Elmer Kelton Interview Part 1
This interview appeared in Paperback Quarterly, Volume 1, Number 2, Summer 1979. Part 2 will appear tomorrow.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Most Mail Carrier Attacks by Dogs in Houston: "Over the last 3 years, Houston is ranked as the leading U.S. city for attacks on postal workers by dogs."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Student brought to court in chains in Houston for shirking jury duty | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "A 19-year-old college freshman missed class Tuesday when a federal judge decided to teach her a civics lesson by ordering federal marshals to haul her in chains from school to court to explain why she shirked jury duty."
Busted Flush Press Is Giving Stuff Away
From David Thompson:
Give me some work to do, get free stuff!
I'm heading out of town for the Edgar Awards banquet this Thursday. I get back to town Sunday, and I'd love to have some work for me to do when I get back... okay, it's not like I don't have enough work piled up, but I mean mail orders! If you order just two books (that are currently available) from BFP's website between now and Saturday (May 1st), look at the free grub I'll throw in!
* FREE paperback (St. Martin's edition) ofAce Atkins's 2nd Nick Travers mystery,Leavin' Trunk Blues (this is now out-of-print)! Ace is up for the Edgar this year (for Best Short Story)... if you haven't yet discovered him, this is a good time!
* FREEpaperback (Plume edition) of three-time Shamus Award-winner Reed Farrel Coleman's 3rd Moe Prager novel, The James Deans (albeit not as cool as the BFP edition with its Michael Connelly foreword, but it's FREE)!
* FREE (and this one's kinda nifty) signed, original short story chapbook by Randy Wayne White. Entitled "Chatham River," this was a special 22-page coming-of-age fishing tale that RWW wrote for BFP when we first got started a few years back. It was originally produced as a limited edition chapbook (limited to 400 copies), but I recently stumbled across some additional "presentation copies", outside of the initial limitation. Did I mention they're signed?!
* Plus, I'd throw in all sorts of other goodies I have laying around... bookmarks, postcards, etc.
Just mosey on over to http://www.bustedflushpress.com/ and order two or more books. Heck, you order several and who knows what I'll throw in the box! Want any recommendations of what to get? Feel free to e-mail me at , and I'll be happy to share my thoughts (even from NYC).
* FREE paperback (St. Martin's edition) ofAce Atkins's 2nd Nick Travers mystery,Leavin' Trunk Blues (this is now out-of-print)! Ace is up for the Edgar this year (for Best Short Story)... if you haven't yet discovered him, this is a good time!
* FREEpaperback (Plume edition) of three-time Shamus Award-winner Reed Farrel Coleman's 3rd Moe Prager novel, The James Deans (albeit not as cool as the BFP edition with its Michael Connelly foreword, but it's FREE)!* FREE (and this one's kinda nifty) signed, original short story chapbook by Randy Wayne White. Entitled "Chatham River," this was a special 22-page coming-of-age fishing tale that RWW wrote for BFP when we first got started a few years back. It was originally produced as a limited edition chapbook (limited to 400 copies), but I recently stumbled across some additional "presentation copies", outside of the initial limitation. Did I mention they're signed?!
* Plus, I'd throw in all sorts of other goodies I have laying around... bookmarks, postcards, etc.
Just mosey on over to http://www.bustedflushpress.com/ and order two or more books. Heck, you order several and who knows what I'll throw in the box! Want any recommendations of what to get? Feel free to e-mail me at , and I'll be happy to share my thoughts (even from NYC).
And Stay off Her Damn Lawn!
Don't Mess With Ernestine Shepherd-- Body Building Grandma Benches 150 - ABC News: "Body Building Grandma Ernestine Shepherd Bench Presses, Runs Marathons At 73
Grandmother Up Every Day at 3 a.m. and Says 'I Feel Better Than I Did at 40'"
Grandmother Up Every Day at 3 a.m. and Says 'I Feel Better Than I Did at 40'"
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
They Should Have Called It "Stay off Their Lawns!"
‘Sunset Daze’ Gives Older Folks Their Reality Show - NYTimes.com: "Ms. Hauncher, along with eight other retirees who live here, star in a new reality show on the WE tv network called “Sunset Daze.” How did the producers find her? “I was out with the Ho’s” — her term for her female posse — “and I guess we looked like fun,” she said. Her only stipulation for signing on? “I didn’t want to come off as a lunatic senior.”
Too late. “Sunset Daze,” which makes its debut on Wednesday night, pushes just that button as it tries to hold its own in the boozy, oversexed reality TV genre. The first episode has commentary on vibrators and going “commando,” slang for not wearing underpants. WE positions the series as “The Golden Girls” meets “Jersey Shore,” the ribald MTV series that spawned Snooki."
Too late. “Sunset Daze,” which makes its debut on Wednesday night, pushes just that button as it tries to hold its own in the boozy, oversexed reality TV genre. The first episode has commentary on vibrators and going “commando,” slang for not wearing underpants. WE positions the series as “The Golden Girls” meets “Jersey Shore,” the ribald MTV series that spawned Snooki."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
The New Mob Wars
Las Vegas mafia museums open new mob rivalry |
World news |
The Guardian: "Las Vegas mafia museums open new mob rivalry
Museum rivalry pitches daughter of murdered mobster against city mayor who represented suspected killer"
World news |
The Guardian: "Las Vegas mafia museums open new mob rivalry
Museum rivalry pitches daughter of murdered mobster against city mayor who represented suspected killer"
Gator Update (Grand Opening Edition)
Event 'Scares' Customers With Alligators - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque: "Part of the celebration of the grand opening of a new business in Los Lunas included an exhibit of real live alligators, but some people who went there said they were shocked that it was a little too real.
'When we walked up somebody tossed a live bunny into the pool for the alligators to eat,' said Amara Heising."
'When we walked up somebody tossed a live bunny into the pool for the alligators to eat,' said Amara Heising."
Monday, April 26, 2010
Will the Persecution Never End?
Paris Hilton bares scary skinny bikini bod while ex Doug Reinhardt steps out with Paris look-alike: "Has Paris Hilton shed more than just her latest man?
Just weeks after splitting with boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, the heiress was looking painfully thin while hosting the Rehab pool party at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday.
While the 29-year-old socialite is known for her slim physique, her skimpy party attire – a hot pink bikini and matching sarong -- revealed protruding ribs and ultrathin legs."
Just weeks after splitting with boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, the heiress was looking painfully thin while hosting the Rehab pool party at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Sunday.
While the 29-year-old socialite is known for her slim physique, her skimpy party attire – a hot pink bikini and matching sarong -- revealed protruding ribs and ultrathin legs."
Hat tip to the ever-alert Jeff Meyerson.
It's National Pretzel Day
Monday marks National Pretzel Day: "Did you know April 26 is National Pretzel Day?
It started 27 years ago, in 1983, when a Pennsylvania congressman wanted a special day named for his favorite food. The tradition has since spread across the country, although it's not officially recognized.
The average person eats about 1.5 lbs. of pretzels each year. They’ve been around since the 7th century when they were invented in Italy."
It started 27 years ago, in 1983, when a Pennsylvania congressman wanted a special day named for his favorite food. The tradition has since spread across the country, although it's not officially recognized.
The average person eats about 1.5 lbs. of pretzels each year. They’ve been around since the 7th century when they were invented in Italy."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Video Game Design Added to the Curriculum at One School; Instructors Say It's More Than Just About Playing Games - KIAH "Video games are usually considered a distraction, especially when it comes to getting school work done, but now one Fort Bend ISD school is adding it to it's curriculum!
[. . . .]
"This is a great opportunity for them to learn strategies in information that they can use in science and engineering," said Willowridge Principal, Joe Coleman."
[. . . .]
"This is a great opportunity for them to learn strategies in information that they can use in science and engineering," said Willowridge Principal, Joe Coleman."
Weekend Videos – Top Rated Shows 1950-54
I Am A Child Of Television: Weekend Videos – Top Rated Shows 1950-54
Disclaimer: The link goes to a post inspired by something I linked to here a few days ago. It's a nice response to the article I linked to, although most of it doesn't really deal with the article at all. Well worth a look, especially for you old guys who get nostalgic about the TV shows of your youth. Even better, it's going to be a regular feature of Brent McKee's blog.
Boobytrap
Hooligans - Informant Media: "BOOBYTRAP is an action thriller to be directed by the veteran second unit director and stunt coordinator Nicholas Powell (“Bourne Identity,” “28 Days Later,” “Gladiator,” and “The Last Samurai”). Based on the novel of the same name written by award-winning author Bill Pronzini, the script is written by Michael A. Simpson, executive producer of the Oscar-winning “Crazy Heart.”"
Hat tip to Steve Stilwell.
Will the Persecution Never End?
Paris Hilton's ex battle between Doug Reinhardt and Jason Shaw | Metro.co.uk: "Paris Hilton made her dumped lover Doug Reinhardt suffer after dining out with ex-fiance Jason Shaw."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Alan Sillitoe, R. I. P.
BBC News - Author Alan Sillitoe dies in London aged 82: "The author Alan Sillitoe has died aged 82 at Charing Cross Hospital in London, his family has said.
The Nottingham-born novelist emerged in the 1950s as one of the 'Angry Young Men' of British fiction.
His son David said he hoped his father would be remembered for his contribution to literature.
His novels included Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, both of which were made into films."
The Nottingham-born novelist emerged in the 1950s as one of the 'Angry Young Men' of British fiction.
His son David said he hoped his father would be remembered for his contribution to literature.
His novels included Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, both of which were made into films."
Bed, Bath (?) & . . . Beyond
Workers find runaway teen who secretly lived in bedding store for days | News.com.au: "A MICHIGAN teenager could face trespassing charges after he was found living in the bedding section of a Bed Bath & Beyond store for four days, The Detroit News reports."
Beer Update
Learn to Pair Beer with Food - Food - Lifehacker: "There is a lot of talk about pairing wine with food, but beer shouldn't be left out—on nights when wine doesn't suit your fancy, consider food weblog The Kitchn's guide to finding the perfect beer for your meal instead."
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