Amazon.com: Grace Interrupted (A Manor House Mystery) (9780425241905): Julie Hyzy: Books: "On the grounds of Marshfield Manor, Civil War re-enactors have set up camp. And what a dedicated troupe! One of them has really been killed..."
Saturday, June 25, 2011
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Grace Interrupted (A Manor House Mystery) (9780425241905): Julie Hyzy: Books: "On the grounds of Marshfield Manor, Civil War re-enactors have set up camp. And what a dedicated troupe! One of them has really been killed..."
TMI
Brady Bunch mom got crabs in affair with NY mayor | The Raw Story: "Florence Henderson, the actress who played perky mom Carol Brady in the beloved family sitcom, says she once got crabs after a one-night-stand with career politician John Lindsay, who was the mayor of New York City at the time."
Marty Greenberg, R. I. P.
I just learned of the passing of Marty Greenberg. it's a terrible and saddening loss for all of us who've been lucky enough to have been associated with him in one way or another over the years. His anthologies provided me with my first short story publications and many subsequent ones . My sympathies go out to his family and to everyone at Tekno Books. Marty was one of a kind, a true gentleman, and he'll be greatly missed.
Buy My Book!
Amazon.com: Rest in Peace eBook: Jack MacLane: Kindle Store: "An Evil SecretDanny West knew that something was wrong from the first day his folks moved into the rundown house next to the creepy graveyard. The neighborhood kids would never come over to play. At night, he saw weird shadows prowling around the crumbling tombstones, and heard strange gurgling sounds. But his parents wouldn’t listen to him. They said he had a good imagination…
Then bad things started to happen. Terrible, gruesome things that even scared his dad. There was something in the graveyard. Something in the graveyard. Something that no kid could ever have imagined. Something that should have been left alone to Rest In Peace."
Uh-Oh
News from The Associated Press: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- A yearlong experiment with the nation's electric grid could mess up traffic lights, security systems and some computers - and make plug-in clocks and appliances like programmable coffeemakers run up to 20 minutes fast."
Friday, June 24, 2011
Before The Paparazzi: 50 Years of Extraordinary Photographs (9781935444398): Steven P. Unger, M. Stefan Strozier, Arty Pomerantz
This is an amazing book for anybody interested in news photography in the 20th century. I've reproduced part of the Amazon description, but that doesn't do the book justice. Click the link and read the whole thing. The book's a huge bargain, too.Amazon.com: Before The Paparazzi: 50 Years of Extraordinary Photographs (9781935444398): Steven P. Unger, M. Stefan Strozier, Arty Pomerantz: Books: "Before the Paparazzi contains about 28,000 words of text and over 300 pictures-most of them with an accompanying 'story behind the pictures.' Almost all of the pictures appeared in the New York Post and other New York City newspapers during the years-primarily the 60s through the 90s-that Arty Pomerantz was a staff photographer and assignment editor, and many of them were on the newspapers' front pages. Arty pioneered the use of 35mm cameras in photojournalism-with their motorized shutter and interchangeable lenses, they revolutionized the industry-and was honored by his peers, who voted him President of the New York Press Photographers Association. He was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and lost track years ago of the number of national and regional photography awards he's won. His pictures have appeared in virtually every major newspaper and magazine in the country. "
Once Again Texas Leads the Way
Greenspoint Mall says no to sagging pants | abc13.com: "It's a popular style of wearing pants called 'sagging' where the bottoms are worn way below the waist.
Wearer Derrick Johnson said, 'Man, it's just a fashion statement. It's just something we do.'
But sagging is something no longer allowed at Greenspoint Mall now that it's changed its code of conduct. Self-described 'saggers' like Gregory Power say they don't like the policy one bit."
Wearer Derrick Johnson said, 'Man, it's just a fashion statement. It's just something we do.'
But sagging is something no longer allowed at Greenspoint Mall now that it's changed its code of conduct. Self-described 'saggers' like Gregory Power say they don't like the policy one bit."
Gene Colan, R. I. P.
Gene Colan, comic book legend and Bronx-born artist, dies at at 84: "Gene Colan, a Bronx-born artist and legend in the comic book industry, died Thursday. He was 84.
The New York native passed away at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx from complications related to liver disease and cancer, his longtime friend Clifford Meth said.
Colan's career spanned seven decades and his distinctive style earned him a strong following from comic book lovers.
He chronicled the adventures of Batman, Dracula and Daredevil with his work and was held in high regard among critics."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
The New York native passed away at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx from complications related to liver disease and cancer, his longtime friend Clifford Meth said.
Colan's career spanned seven decades and his distinctive style earned him a strong following from comic book lovers.
He chronicled the adventures of Batman, Dracula and Daredevil with his work and was held in high regard among critics."
Hat tip to Art Scott.
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Penalty Shot eBook: Paul Bishop: Kindle Store: "Top-flight English goalkeeper Ian Chapel's last soccer game ended in a kick to the face from a German opponent leaving him with just one eye and believing he could never play the game again. Working as an editor for one of his brainy brother's sports magazines, Chapel has recovered his fitness, but hasn't touched a soccer ball since his accident. So, he finds it ludicrous when his old army colonel pitches a proposal with him playing goalie for the Los Angeles Ravens, an American indoor soccer team owned by the colonel and his partner Nina Brisbane, who has the body of a goddess and hides her shotgun-blasted face forever behind a veil."
Buy My Book!
Amazon.com: Blood Dreams eBook: Jack MacLane: Kindle Store: "Hubert is a killer. He loves the sport of it - the thrill of the hunt - and Hubert can feel and share in the pain of his victims as they breathe their final breath.Larry is a young boy who dreams about death before it happens. He can't remember his dreams by day, but by night he is haunted by the faces and words of the dying. When the two end up in the same town, and become aware of one another, a classic battle of good and evil ensues. Blood Dreams is an old school supernatural thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat."
Peter Falk, R. I. P.
ABC News: "Actor Peter Falk, who was best known for his role in the TV series 'Columbo,' has died, according to a statement released by his family. He was 83."
Uh-Oh
The Mechanic Muse - What Is Distant Reading? - NYTimes.com: "To understand literature, Moretti argues, we must stop reading books."
Great Band, Great Opportunity to get a CD
Cornell Hurd Band CD Opportunity by Judy Julian — Kickstarter: For $25 you get the CD when released...plus an emailed mp3 of a single track from the CD...plus undying gratitude...ALL CDS WILL BE SIGNED.
My son works for the band, so you know it'll be a great CD.
Inside Top Suspense
Max Allan Collins has added his commentary to this on-going discussion at the Top Suspense Group Blog. Check it out.
Rare Billy the Kid Update
Rare Billy the Kid photo to go on auction block - Telegraph: "The two-by-three-inch photograph is the only known adult portrait of the Wild West gunslinger who variously went by the names William Bonney, Henry Antrim, Henry McCarty or just 'the Kid'.
One of the most famous photographs in the world, it first appeared in Sheriff Pat Garrett's book on how he tracked down and killed the Kid in 1881.
'This is it – the only one,' said Brian Lebel, auctioneer for the 22nd annual Old West Show and Auction to be held in Denver, Colorado.
'We'll have over 500 in the audience. We have eight telephone lines and we have three different internet hookups, so people can bid live online with real-time bidding (and) with a camera, so you can see the auctioneer.'"
One of the most famous photographs in the world, it first appeared in Sheriff Pat Garrett's book on how he tracked down and killed the Kid in 1881.
'This is it – the only one,' said Brian Lebel, auctioneer for the 22nd annual Old West Show and Auction to be held in Denver, Colorado.
'We'll have over 500 in the audience. We have eight telephone lines and we have three different internet hookups, so people can bid live online with real-time bidding (and) with a camera, so you can see the auctioneer.'"
Where I'll Be This Weekend
Judy and I are getting ready to head off to ApolloCon. I'll be on several panels, and if things go as planned, I'll be able to break away for a quick tour of a few bookstores. Maybe I'll even find something in the dealers' room.
Stark House Update from Greg Shepard
Hello, Everyone—
From his newest piece, "Day Keene: The Pro's Pro" David gives us:
Day Keene was one of the big three, The Triumvirate. In the nineteen fifties, along the Florida Gulf Coast, it was Keene, Harry Whittington, and Gil Brewer who formed the Great Trio of postwar American crime fiction.
[...]
They were almost a conspiracy. They wrote about sex and crime, corruption and violence. It was a high level of problem solving including the greatest problem of all: how to stay alive. Sometimes their books were awkward or unattractive but they all kept going, one plot after another, millions of words. Three big producers with over 300 novels between them, nearly all of them paperback originals.
Crime Club members will get their books shipped automatically, and everyone else can look for the book to be released in July.
And here's a quck peek at what we've got scheduled for the near future. We'll have more to say about these wonderful books and writers as we go, but for now, check these out:
SEPT 11: The Cheaters/Dial “M” for Man– Orrie Hitt
JAN 12: Rapture Alley/A Taste of Desire/Strictly for the Boys—Harry Whittington
APRIL 12: Come Easy Go Easy/In a Vain Shadow—James Hadley Chase
JULY 12: Rough Riders—Charlie Stella
OCT 12: The Sun Worshippers/Yellowleg—A. S. Fleischman
JAN 13: The Unfinished Clue/Girl Who Had to Die—Elisabeth Sanxay Holding
Yes, that's a NEW Charlie Stella, his first since our release of his tour de force novel Johnny Porno.
That's all for now. We'll be back at you sooner rather than later with some more entertaining and exciting features. If you're not a member of our Crime Book Club, sign up now to get each book shipped to you automatically and take advantage of the special discount for new members to fill out your collection of back list titles.
If you wish to subscribe or even unsubscribe to this newsletter, drop us an e-mail and we’ll take care of you. Until next time....
Rick Ollerman
Associate Editor,
Stark House Press
This is Just . . . Wrong
China's latest craze: dyeing pets to look like other wild animals
See the photos at the link, which comes via Neatorama.
Snapping the Sixties: A Decade of Rare Photography
AbeBooks: Snapping the Sixties: A Decade of Rare Photography: "Some of the most famous photographs ever taken were captured during the Sixties. This decade of huge cultural and political change saw photographers driving forward the cult of celebrity and yet also demanding answers over major problems like the Vietnam War and South Africa’s Apartheid."
Forgotten Books Redemolished -- Alfred Bester
I'm reprinting this because I got the date wrong on my post, and it appeared yesterday. It's worth repeating, though.I saw this one on eBay and couldn't resist. Why? Because when I was a kid I read The Demolished Man and The Stars my Destination and the top of my head flew off. They're still two of my favorite SF novels, and some of Bester's short stories affected me the same way ("Fondly Fahrenheit," another all-time personal favorite, to name just one). So this collection just seemed to have my name on it. In addition to stories, this book contains Bester's interviews Heinlein, Asimov, Rex Stout, and Woody Allen; essays; the deleted prologue from The Demolished Man, and lots of other good stuff. A complete ToC can be found here. If you're a Bester fan like me, you'll want this book.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Speedloader eBook: Jonathan Woods, Richard Thomas, Nik Korpon, W.D. County, Matthew Funk, Nigel Bird, Sandra Ruttan, Brian Lindenmuth: Books: "Speedloader is the debut title of Snubnose Press.From the trenches of WWI to the abandoned rowhomes of Baltimore; From a rural charnel house to the Texas-Mexican border these six stories explore the dark heart of crime fiction today.
Speedloader features stories of…
…revenge that will challenge you to a game of uncle that you may not win and will haunt those who are able to finish it.
…clashing motives on the Texas Mexico border
…a slide into an alcoholic haze
…a struggle with the weight of a personal choice when confronted with the sins of the past
…getting caught up in actions far beyond one’s control
…small crimes covered up and lost amidst larger forces
Speedloader is six stories slammed home and ready to kill
With all new, original stories from Richard Thomas, Nik Korpon, Nigel Bird, newcomer WD County and Spinetingler Award winners Matthew C Funk and Jonathan Woods."
Criminal Geniuses of the Day
Twitter Trouble - West Virginia's Eyewitness News: "The suspects actually left police plenty of clues, while police say they were tearing stuff up, they were tweeting about it, but the tweets didn't stop after their arrests.
Police say a group of about 10 guys caused nearly $14,000 damage to the Wingate Hotel in South Charleston. And police say they spelled out exactly what they were doing in the room on twitter, talking about smashing a TV and stabbing a couch, they even posted pictures of themselves peeing in the hotel's safe, destroying the mirror and leaving the room in shambles"
Police say a group of about 10 guys caused nearly $14,000 damage to the Wingate Hotel in South Charleston. And police say they spelled out exactly what they were doing in the room on twitter, talking about smashing a TV and stabbing a couch, they even posted pictures of themselves peeing in the hotel's safe, destroying the mirror and leaving the room in shambles"
Archaeology Update
Archaeologists to raise ancient Egyptian ship: "Egyptian and Japanese archaeologists on Thursday began to unearth an ancient boat belonging to King Khufu and buried near the Giza pyramids for more than 4,500 years.
A mission from Japan's Waseda University, the Japanese Institute of the Solar Boat and Egypt's antiquities ministry have been preparing to lift the boat from its underground pit for the past two years."
A mission from Japan's Waseda University, the Japanese Institute of the Solar Boat and Egypt's antiquities ministry have been preparing to lift the boat from its underground pit for the past two years."
You Knew this Already
Why Sex With Creatures from the Future Is a Bad Idea | Popular Science: "When time travel finally becomes possible, we might want to think twice about getting it on. According to a new study on tiny shrimp (Artemia franciscana), sex with partners from a different time could kill you."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Update from Copia
Adrienne Harth writes: I wanted to let you know about two great offers at www.thecopia.com, the new social eBookstore that lets readers share notes in the margins of their books, form online book clubs and much more.
We are giving away Donald Westlake's Edgar Award-winning novel, GOD SAVE THE MARK. Free.
Here is the short URL.
http://goo.gl/toJNV
Our ongoing free Books-to-Movies collection also has books of interest to mystery fans: free copies of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT and LITTLE CAESAR.
All anyone has to do is spend a minute to sign up for an account, download the books, and then download our free eReader software for PC, Mac, Ipad, Win 7, etc.. You can read the book on any device that takes adobe ePub files (Nook, Sony eReader, etc).
We hope you enjoy these free books and please feel free to spread the word by blog or tweet.
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
sheboyganpress.com: "Police say a Sheboygan Falls woman bit her teenage daughter’s nose during a screaming match this week."
Perhaps They Need to Read His Epitaph First
The Raw Story: "Recently uncovered evidence suggests that William Shakespeare used marijuana, and now a team of paleontologists want to dig him up to prove it."
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
Cops: Man used poodle to hit wife: "Police in southern Brazil say a jealous husband hit his wife in the head with a pet poodle."
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Sarah Cortez is a former cop who now writes fiction and poetry when she's not editing anthologies. This one has some familiar names (some more familiar in Texas than elsewhere) writing dark stories about average teen life that involves aliens, body parts stuck in school lockers, ghosts, Aztec goddesses, and so on. Well worth a look.
I'm Relaxed Already
FOX16.com Little Rock, AR: "We’ve all heard of “Energy Drinks” but now there’s a booming new beverage line on the market designed to do just the opposite – relax you."
Hat tip to John Duke.
Buy My Book!
Amazon.com: Goodnight MooM eBook: Jack MacLane, Neil Jackson: Kindle Store: "Harry never cared for reading or writing. He never showed any interest in baseball or TV. Harry lived for other things — like the pleasing sound of living creatures screaming in agony. And the soothing feel of warm blood running through his fingers. But when his grisly experiments progressed beyond stray pets and farm animals to classmates, Harry’s dad decided to lock the boy away for good in the family basement. After all, the neighbors might begin to talk…In the solitude of the dank, musty cellar, Harry waited and grew… and grew… and GREW! And while he waited, he was counseled by his one and only friend — the bright silvery orb in the inight sky that he called “Moom.” Harry spoke to Moom. And Moom spoke to Harry. Moom told Harry what he should do when he finally broke out of his subterranean prison …
Moom told Harry to kill…
and Kill…
and KILL…"
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
Janet Chiauzzi, N.Y. Mom, Allegedly Sent Threat When Son Didn't Make East Meadow Little League Team: "A suburban New York woman is accused of sending threatening letters to a Little League official and his son because her boy didn't make a summer baseball travel team."
Hat tip to Walter Satterthwait.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Oldest Deputy Still Laying Down the Law: "He is thought to be the oldest law enforcement officer on active patrol in Texas, if not the entire US.
Harris Co. Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Morgan is almost 91 years old.
And yet, every weekend you’ll find him patrolling with the Harris Co. Marine Division, issuing tickets – and sometimes warnings – on the San Jacinto River or Lake Houston.
Morgan is part of the Sheriff’s Reserve program. He doesn’t get a paycheck; he volunteers his time."
Harris Co. Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Morgan is almost 91 years old.
And yet, every weekend you’ll find him patrolling with the Harris Co. Marine Division, issuing tickets – and sometimes warnings – on the San Jacinto River or Lake Houston.
Morgan is part of the Sheriff’s Reserve program. He doesn’t get a paycheck; he volunteers his time."
The Blackest Black Humor: Catch 22 & Other Grim Jokes
AbeBooks: The Blackest Black Humor: Catch 22 & Other Grim Jokes: "Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 was published 50 years ago in June 1961 just as the American involvement in the Vietnam War was escalating. You have probably read Catch-22 (and if you haven’t then you are missing out). This book is one of the blackest examples of black humor, also known as black comedy, but there are many more novels written in the same vein."
The Birthday Song
When I was a grad student, one of my professors was A. A. Hill. Rumor had it that he was quite wealthy because his relatives had written this song and that he shared in the profits. I don't know if that was true, but it was interesting.
Now I Know: Happy Birthday (c): "The song is iconic. [. . . .]But unlike the second and third most recognizable English songs, 'Happy Birthday' has another distinction:
It is under copyright.
In 1893, two sisters from Kentucky, Mildred and Patty Hill, composed a song called 'Good Morning to All.' The lyrics -- 'Good morning to you / good morning to you / good morning dear children / good morning to all' -- are foreign to modern ears. But the melody they used for the song is now more commonly known for its use in 'Happy Birthday.'"
Forgotten Books: Redemolished -- Alfred Bester
I saw this one on eBay and couldn't resist. Why? Because when I was a kid I read The Demolished Man and The Stars my Destination and the top of my head flew off. They're still two of my favorite SF novels, and some of Bester's short stories affected me the same way ("Fondly Fahrenheit," another all-time personal favorite, to name just one). So this collection just seemed to have my name on it. In addition to stories, this book contains Bester's interviews Heinlein, Asimov, Rex Stout, and Woody Allen; essays; the deleted prologue from The Demolished Man, and lots of other good stuff. A complete ToC can be found here. If you're a Bester fan like me, you'll want this book.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Murder of a Bookstore Babe: A Scumble River Mystery (9780451232809): Denise Swanson: Books: "When school psychologist Skye Denison discovers a body crushed by a toppled bookcase in Scumble River's new bookstore, she has to read the clues before she becomes the killer's next work-in-progress..."
And Stay off Her Damn Driveway!
CBS Sacramento: "When the victim came home Thursday night, the suspect, 68-year-old Artemesia Lee, pepper sprayed and beat him over the head with a stick, say investigators."
Archaeology Update
Earliest art in the Americas: Ice Age image of mammoth or mastodon found in Florida: "Researchers from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Florida have announced the discovery of a bone fragment, approximately 13,000 years old, in Florida with an incised image of a mammoth or mastodon. This engraving is the oldest and only known example of Ice Age art to depict a proboscidean (the order of animals with trunks) in the Americas."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Newswatch | a Chron.com blog: "A Houston-based Southwest Airline pilot has been suspended after he inadvertently tied up vital air traffic control airwaves with a profane rant about his flight attendant co-workers.
KPRC first reported the pilot’s comments Tuesday night.
A recording of the March 25 rant, captured by the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center as he made his way through the area, was obtained today by the Houston Chronicle.
In it, the male pilot bitterly assesses the date-ability of his crew and made disparaging remarks about his crew’s sexual orientation, weight and age."
KPRC first reported the pilot’s comments Tuesday night.
A recording of the March 25 rant, captured by the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center as he made his way through the area, was obtained today by the Houston Chronicle.
In it, the male pilot bitterly assesses the date-ability of his crew and made disparaging remarks about his crew’s sexual orientation, weight and age."
Die, Lover, Die! Now Available for the Nook
BARNES & NOBLE | Die, Lover, Die! by Dave Zeltserman | NOOK Book (eBook): "Lauren Blaine is on the run...fleeing across the country, pursued by a pack of ruthless, skilled, and psychopathic killers.That's she's dumped her husband and he hasn't taken it well.
Of course, he might have taken it better if he wasn't a major drug dealer with a gale-force temper... and if she hadn't run off with all of his cash.
Now she's marked-for-death, a moving target for every mercenary, hitman, and sadist in the midwest.
What they don't know is that Lauren is nobody's victim... she's a resourceful, brave, and cunning woman who won't go down without a fight.
This is 10,000 words of non-stop action, violence and sex...a wild ride like nothing else you've read before...from twelve masters of suspense, who teamed up to write this rollicking story 250 rapid-fire words at a time, tag-team style, without an outline, without knowing what was coming next. The result is a pure, literary adrenaline rush."
Buy My Book!
Amazon.com: A Time For Hanging eBook: Bill Crider: Kindle Store: "Lizzie Randall, the preacher's daughter, is murdered. The men of the west Texas town are set on lynching Paco Morales, a Mexican teenager who happened to be in the vicinity at the time. No proof, but, after all, he is only a Mexican. Reason and/or conscience work on most of the would-be lynchers, so that, in the end justice is served. The list of suspects grows to include almost everyone in the story, thus providing an agreeable tangle of clues."
Great News
Amazon Media Room:News Release: "Amazon.com today announced that Amazon Publishing has acquired the publication rights of 35 titles in the 87th Precinct Series--including 'The Con Man' and 'The Mugger'--by author Ed McBain. These books will be published by the Thomas & Mercer imprint in print, digital and audio formats starting in Fall 2011. In addition to the 87th Precinct titles, Thomas & Mercer will publish 12 titles in McBain's Matthew Hope series starting in Spring 2012. These 12 books will be published in digital and audio format, with most of the 12 available in print format. This is the first time any of these books have been available digitally for readers. Jane Gelfman of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents, Inc. represented the estate of Ed McBain in this deal."
Special Guest Post from Paul Levine
“FOR THE KIDS”-- WHY AUTHOR DONATES TO CANCER FUND
“Flesh & Bones,” a Jake Lassiter thriller, is now an e-book. Author Paul Levine explains why he has pledged all royalties to childhood cancer treatment and research.
By Paul Levine
In the United States today, one in 300 children will be diagnosed with some form of cancer. All of us have friends or family members who have fought that grueling battle. These days, with great advances in medicine, there’s a increasing chance the fight has been successful.
Yet, progress seems excruciatingly slow for those on the front lines.
A few years ago, one of my dearest friends, the godfather of my son, lost his daughter Margaux to Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare but vicious bone cancer. Another friend, a well-known author, has lost both a child and a grandchild to the disease. The survival rate for Ewing’s sarcoma that metastasizes is a disheartening 10 per cent.
Ten per cent!
In this age of medical miracles, how can that be?
After Margaux’s death at age 14, I dedicated a book to her. Such a feeble gesture. I wanted to do more. Still do. Here’s how.
“Flesh & Bones,” the last of the Jake Lassiter novels, was published internationally to wide acclaim in 1997. Out of print for many years, it’s now a 99-cent e-book, with all proceeds going to the Four Diamonds Fund, a charity that pays for treatment of pediatric cancer patients at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.
In addition to providing world-class medical care, the Fund supports research in immunotherapy, carcinogenesis, and several other fields I can barely spell, much less understand. I can’t imagine a better charity.
This is my second venture into publishing for charity. Last summer, my first novel, “To Speak for the Dead,” was brought out of retirement as an e-book and produced thousands of dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund. That book introduced the world to Jake Lassiter, a linebacker-turned-lawyer who searches for justice but seldom finds it.
Here’s a little background about the Four Diamonds Fund. In 1972, a 14-year-old boy named Christopher Millard was an aspiring writer. He’d penned a mythic tale about “Sir Millard and The Four Diamonds,” in the tradition of Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot. What are those Four Diamonds? Wisdom. Courage. Honesty. Strength. All are needed in our daily lives, especially in children’s battles with a dread disease.
You have probably figured out that Chris wrote the story while in the throes of cancer. The diamonds of his story were allegorical. The quest was for life itself. After a three-year battle, Chris died, but his memory lives in the name of the Fund established by his family with the straightforward goal of “Conquering Childhood Cancer.”
Penn State students have contributed an astonishing $78 million to the Fund through their annual dance marathon, which goes by the slogan: “For the Kids.” This year’s event raised more than $9 million alone.
One more thing. If each of us can contribute – just a bit – of courage, wisdom, honesty, and strength, maybe we can reach the goal of conquering childhood cancer.
“Flesh & Bones” is “another breathless thriller from Paul Levine,” remarked the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “Filled with smart writing and smart remarks,” proclaimed the Dallas Morning News.
“Flesh & Bones,” priced at 99 cents for a short time, is available on Kindle, Nook, and at Smashwords. More information on about the novel on Paul Levine’s Website.
“Flesh & Bones,” a Jake Lassiter thriller, is now an e-book. Author Paul Levine explains why he has pledged all royalties to childhood cancer treatment and research.
By Paul Levine
In the United States today, one in 300 children will be diagnosed with some form of cancer. All of us have friends or family members who have fought that grueling battle. These days, with great advances in medicine, there’s a increasing chance the fight has been successful.
Yet, progress seems excruciatingly slow for those on the front lines.
A few years ago, one of my dearest friends, the godfather of my son, lost his daughter Margaux to Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare but vicious bone cancer. Another friend, a well-known author, has lost both a child and a grandchild to the disease. The survival rate for Ewing’s sarcoma that metastasizes is a disheartening 10 per cent.
Ten per cent!
In this age of medical miracles, how can that be?
After Margaux’s death at age 14, I dedicated a book to her. Such a feeble gesture. I wanted to do more. Still do. Here’s how.
“Flesh & Bones,” the last of the Jake Lassiter novels, was published internationally to wide acclaim in 1997. Out of print for many years, it’s now a 99-cent e-book, with all proceeds going to the Four Diamonds Fund, a charity that pays for treatment of pediatric cancer patients at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.
In addition to providing world-class medical care, the Fund supports research in immunotherapy, carcinogenesis, and several other fields I can barely spell, much less understand. I can’t imagine a better charity.
This is my second venture into publishing for charity. Last summer, my first novel, “To Speak for the Dead,” was brought out of retirement as an e-book and produced thousands of dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund. That book introduced the world to Jake Lassiter, a linebacker-turned-lawyer who searches for justice but seldom finds it.
Here’s a little background about the Four Diamonds Fund. In 1972, a 14-year-old boy named Christopher Millard was an aspiring writer. He’d penned a mythic tale about “Sir Millard and The Four Diamonds,” in the tradition of Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot. What are those Four Diamonds? Wisdom. Courage. Honesty. Strength. All are needed in our daily lives, especially in children’s battles with a dread disease.
You have probably figured out that Chris wrote the story while in the throes of cancer. The diamonds of his story were allegorical. The quest was for life itself. After a three-year battle, Chris died, but his memory lives in the name of the Fund established by his family with the straightforward goal of “Conquering Childhood Cancer.”
Penn State students have contributed an astonishing $78 million to the Fund through their annual dance marathon, which goes by the slogan: “For the Kids.” This year’s event raised more than $9 million alone.
One more thing. If each of us can contribute – just a bit – of courage, wisdom, honesty, and strength, maybe we can reach the goal of conquering childhood cancer.
“Flesh & Bones” is “another breathless thriller from Paul Levine,” remarked the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “Filled with smart writing and smart remarks,” proclaimed the Dallas Morning News.
“Flesh & Bones,” priced at 99 cents for a short time, is available on Kindle, Nook, and at Smashwords. More information on about the novel on Paul Levine’s Website.
Because Crime Doesn't Pay?
BBC News - US crime figures: Why the drop?: "For 20 years, crime in the US has been falling and new figures from the FBI show a sharp drop in the last two years, despite the recession. Why?"
PaperBack
Harry Whittington, Don't Speak to Strange Girls, GM, 1963
I like the in-joke in this one. As you can see on the back cover, the protagonist is Clay Stuart, "known as Big Daddy Sex." Clay Stuart was the name Whittington used on some of his softcore novels.
Emergency Tambourine
Row over hospital's 'emergency tambourine' | Orange UK: "He claimed that earlier there was a pair of maracas in the day room for patients to use - in case the tambourine was broken."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson, who points out that "Emergency Tambourine" WBAGNFARB.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: A Taste of the Nightlife: A Vampire Chef Mystery (9780451234070): Sarah Zettel: Books: "Charlotte Caine isn't called 'the Vampire Chef' because she's a member of New York's undead community-she just cooks for them. Her restaurant, Nightlife, is poised to take the top slot in the world of 'haute noir' cuisine.But when a drunk customer causes a scene, a glowing review from the city's top food critic doesn't seem likely-especially when that customer winds up dead on Nightlife's doorstep. Now, with her brother under suspicion for the murder, Charlotte has to re-open her restaurant and clear her brother's name-before they both become dinner."
Buy My Book!
Amazon.com: Dead Man's Revenge (Rancho Diablo) eBook: Colby Jackson: Kindle Store: "Western action explodes as Sam Blaylock fights to save Rancho Diablo. Has a dead man returned to take revenge against Sam, or is there something more human at work? Even the law doesn't seem to be on Sam's side as he takes on enemies that strike in the night.DEADMAN'S REVENGE is the third volume in the exciting Rancho Diablo series."
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Deep Water (WALKER/TAMIKO L.A.P.D. SERIES) eBook: Paul Bishop: Kindle Store: "Calico Jack Walker and Tina Tamiko are back.1978. Now retired from the L.A.P.D. and captain of his own fishing charter business, Calico Jack Walker pays for ignoring his instincts when he hires out to two shady characters who try to hijack his boat and almost murder his son.
Walker's ex-partner and lover, Tina Tamiko, has promoted to detective. She's deep into an investigation leading to a plot to hijack an L.A.P.D. property barge loaded with confiscated drugs and weapons slated for ocean dumping.
With another ex-partner framed for murder, somebody playing Robin Hood with stolen drug money, and a gang of dirty cops desperate for redemption, Walker and Tamiko know they're in deep water and it's time to gun up and throw down . . ."
It Started with that Short Mink Coat
NYPOST.com: "A middle-aged Brooklyn woman yesterday swiped a special NYPD license plate off a marked patrol car -- and then bizarrely stuffed it down her pants, police sources said."
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Hot Pursuit (WALKER/TAMIKO L.A.P.D. SERIES) eBook: Paul Bishop: Books: "A Calico Jack Walker / Tina Tamiko L.A.P.D. novel . . .It's 1977 and veteran L.A.P.D. cop Calico Jack Walker and his rookie partner, Tina Tamiko, are planning to make Calico's last shift on the job something special - but plans, as they do, come apart because Walker and Tamiko are good cops no matter what the cost . . . even if they're L.A. cops, in uniform, in their patrol car, on duty, and way out of their jurisdiction on the Las Vegas Strip.
When a major crime is going down, good cops never hesitate."
It was "a short mink coat"
CBS Minnesota: "A 46-year-old woman pleaded guilty Monday to hiding a stolen mink coat in her underwear."
No Comment Department
FT.com / Style: "“The move towards shorter shorts is certainly gaining momentum,” says Mr Porter’s buying director Toby Bateman. “Conservatives who used to wear long board shorts seem to be moving to mid-length, and the more fashion-forward among us are moving towards the shorter shorts.”"
Forgotten Films: Kiss Me Deadly
Not forgotten by any means, but maybe you haven't seen it lately. Well, now's your chance, what with the release of this new Criterion Collection Blu-Ray edition. It looks great, as you'd expect, and it's just as outrageous and entertaining as ever, from the Cloris Leachman-naked-under-the- overcoat scene to the explosive conclusion. The movie follows the book's story fairly closely, and though the shift in location from New York to L. A. is a little bothersome to me, it works pretty well. Part of the film's original ending is included, too.The commentators, on the other hand, leave me cold. They don't seem to have read Spillane, and their ignorance of him and his work is sadly depressing. Their opinions of Hammer run along the lines of those in the accompanying booklet, in which J. Hoberman says the film "tracks one of the sleaziest, stupidest, most brutal detectives in American movies." Hoberman also calls Hammer "a crass private-eye."
Luckily, Max Allan Collins' Spillane documentary (Mike Hammer's Mickey Spillane) is included among the special features on the DVD to provide a little balance. This documentary (re-edited to about 40 minutes from the original) alone is a great reason to buy the DVD if you haven't seen it. Makes me wish for a Criterion Collection edition of The Girl Hunters.
The entire package is well worth your time and highly recommended in spite of the shortcomings I mentioned. Just don't listen to the commentary.
Monday, June 20, 2011
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: The Bolero of Andi Rowe: Stories (9780810127678): Toni Margarita Plummer: Books: "Largely set in Los Angeles’s San Gabriel Valley, this prize-winning collection of interlinked stories centers on the Rowe family. Olivia Real, originally from Mexico, marries Charles Rowe in the 1970s. They have two daughters: Andi takes after her mother, Maura is blonde, blue-eyed, and fair-skinned. Olivia and Charles get divorced a few years later, but Olivia, whose parents died when she was a child, continues to have a special relationship with her Irish-born mother-in-law.Plummer’s characters share a keen sense of the loss that comes from distance both figurative and literal. In “Happy Hour,” Olivia grapples with her mother-in-law’s death, and in “To Visit the Cemetery,” she visits her parents’ grave in Mexico City, where she seeks reconciliation with her sister, who has remained in their native land. Andi, an architecture student in New York, struggles to connect to the friends and neighbors she’s left behind, including her best friend, a Filipina bent on finding love in the club scene, and Andi’s almost-sweetheart, a musician doctor-to-be torn between affections. When distances are closed between characters, the emotion and passion is explosive and honest."
She's Available
Paris Hilton and Cy Waits Split | PopEater.com: "After a year of dating, Paris Hilton and Cy Waits have called it quits. Since the premiere of Hilton's new reality show, 'The World According to Paris,' the pair's turbulent relationship has been broadcast on the small screen as Waits has voiced his distaste for the world of reality TV."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Punctured (Las Vegas Mystery) (9781935597582): Rex Kusler: Books: "Jim Snow and his sister Karen have never been very close. In fact, they haven’t seen each other since their mother’s funeral two years ago, despite living just three miles apart. But then Snow gets a panicked phone call from Karen telling him that her estranged husband has been murdered and she is the number-one suspect. Snow agrees to help, seeing as he’s the only family she has left. Plus he is a Las Vegas homicide detective—or at least, he was until he quit the force to become a full-time poker player. But while his crime-fighting skills may be a little rusty, even he has to admit Karen is a likely suspect. She stands to collect on her dead husband’s life insurance, which is quite the coincidence considering she’s been living on her first two husbands’ insurance for years. Snow isn’t sure whether or not his sister is innocent, and there’s only one way to find out. He joins forces with feisty cocktail waitress-turned-cop Alice James and together they set out amidst the glittering lights of Vegas to solve this witty and entertaining whodunit."
She'll Get a Song out of it at the very Least
E! Online: "Hollywood has seen its fair share of odd couplings, but this one is so out there even the newlyweds know it's a little weird.
Doug Hutchison, a character actor best known for roles in The Green Mile, Lost and The X-Files, married aspiring country singer Courtney Alexis Stodden on May 20 in Las Vegas.
He is 51. She is 16."
Buy My Book!
Amazon.com: Ryan Rides Back eBook: Bill Crider: Kindle Store: "Bill Kane was going to hang for murdering Ryan's sister... After three long years, folks were shocked Ryan would show his face after abandoning his sister to her bloody fate. Others were amazed - and frightened - that he was back at all. No man could have survived that night in Shatter's Grove.But Ryan was no ordinary man, and Tularosa was in for more shocks and surprises, because Ryan was back for justice - and the real truth behind his sister's betrayal and murder."
All Riiiiight!
Showbiz Spy: "PARIS Hilton is going to unleash another album on the world.
The blonde socialite has revealed she’s planning to release the record as soon as possible and claims that it might hit the shelves as early as this summer."
The blonde socialite has revealed she’s planning to release the record as soon as possible and claims that it might hit the shelves as early as this summer."
Help Promote Good Music
You can help the Cornell Hurd Band raise the money for making a new CD. You get stuff for your donation. For $25, for example: Cornell Hurd Band CD Opportunity: "This CD when released...plus an emailed mp3 of a single track from the CD...plus undying gratitude...ALL CDS WILL BE SIGNED."
Disclaimer: My son works for the band!
Another Kindle Millionaire
Amazon.com today announced that John Locke has become the first independently published author to sell over 1 million paid copies in the Kindle Store, joining the “Kindle Million Club.” As of yesterday, John Locke has sold1,010,370 Kindle books using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Locke joins Stieg Larsson, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Lee Child, Suzanne Collins and Michael Connelly in the Kindle Million Club.
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