Happy Birthday, Roger Moore!

Roger Moore (born this day in 1927) was never my idea of James Bond, and the 007 movies he made were never my idea of how the books should have been filmed, but I could overlook those things and enjoy the movies anyway. I also liked Moore as The Saint on TV.

Freddy Fender, R. I. P.

I remember when "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" was a regional hit, many years before it was re-released and hit the national charts.

Singer Freddy Fender dies at 69 in Corpus: "CORPUS CHRISTI — Freddy Fender, the 'Bebop Kid' of the Texas-Mexico border who later turned his twangy tenor into the smash country ballad 'Before the Next Teardrop Falls,' died today. He was 69.

Fender, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2006, died at noon at his Corpus Christi home with his family at his bedside, said Ron Rogers, a family spokesman.

Over the years, he grappled with drug and alcohol abuse, was treated for diabetes and underwent a kidney transplant.

Fender hit it big in 1975 after some regional success, years of struggling — and a stint in prison — when 'Before the Next Teardrop Falls' climbed to No. 1 on the pop and country charts.

'Wasted Days and Wasted Nights' rose to No. 1 on the country chart and top 10 on the pop chart that same year, while 'Secret Love' and 'You'll Lose a Good Thing' also hit No. 1 in the country charts."

Out of the Gutter

Saw this on Tribe's blog. Along with Murdaland, another market for short fiction of the noir and hardboiled kind. Always good news.

OUT OF THE GUTTER: "Out of the Gutter is going to be an anthology of grim, fierce, uncomfortably realistic crime fiction and more. The idea is to create a modern pulp magazine (presented in book form) but more than that I want to test boundaries, to collect material that is at once as troubling and fascinating as a bloody freeway accident. The essays and stories already amassed cover subjects ranging from organized dog fighting to homosexual prostitution in Mexico, to prison violence (a piece from celebrated prison author Seth “Soul Man” Ferranti) to classic detective noir--with a twist."

Listening to On-Line Music

Some people don't like to listen to music while at the computer. I do, so whenever I run across a new music site, I give it a try. I found The Oldies Superhighway through Lloyd Thaxton's blog. What? You don't have a clue as to who Lloyd Thaxton is? Then you're obviously much younger than I am. (These days it seems as if everybody's much younger than I am.) I'm listening to the "Doo-Wop Jukebox" on The Oldies Superhighway right now. Any site that starts off with Dion and the Belmonts singing "I Wonder Why" is a winner in my book. Check it out.

The Pleasures and Perils of Pop Culture

Here's an interesting article on how the Harvard College Library (yes, that Harvard) is preserving a collection of science fiction pulps. A few nice pics, too. Check it out.

Sisters in Crime 20th Anniversary Party

This party was at Houston's Murder by the Book, October 13, 2006. Seen here are Julie Wray Herman, Leann Sweeny, Laura Elvebak, and Dean James, among others.

Sisters in Crime 20th Anniversary Party

Bill and Susan Albert, Betty Gordon, Kay Finch, Laura Elvebak, Leann Sweeny, Shirley Wetzel, among others.

Sisters in Crime 20th Anniversary Party

Murder by the Book, Houston, October 13, 2006. Sheri Rowe kicks things off. Pauline Jones is wearing the red jacket. Cash Arnold is seated.

Educational Gator Update

More about Handwriting

Thanks, once again, to Karin Montin.

Changing child's handwriting improves behaviour: analyst: "OTTAWA -- Parents of difficult children can take some solace in the latest theory circulating in education circles that the key to changing kids' negative behaviour could be as simple as changing their handwriting.

Handwriting analyst Simon Zelcovitch has begun working with families to help transform selfish kids into more giving ones, domineering kids into collegial ones, and closed-minded or secretive children into more open, personable people -- all by identifying revealing aspects of their handwriting and changing their writing patterns accordingly.

'By altering their handwriting, the person will change their behaviour. There's absolutely a connection,' said Zelcovitch, who is based in Toronto."

Anna Nicole Smith Update

Smith parts company with her Bahamas lawyer - CNN.com: "ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- Anna Nicole Smith's lead attorney in the Bahamas said Wednesday he has withdrawn as counsel for the reality TV star, citing disagreements on matters of strategy and concerns about her conduct.

Michael Scott said he was unsettled by Smith's decision to exchange vows with her boyfriend even before she made funeral arrangements for Daniel Smith, her 20-year-old son who died September 10.

People magazine bought photos of the ceremony, which was not a legal wedding and was held aboard a catamaran on September 28 in waters off Nassau, Bahamas.

'A disagreement on a commercial transaction made it difficult for us to remain as counsel,' Scott told The Associated Press over the phone.

A Nassau funeral home has been holding Daniel Smith's embalmed body while awaiting further instructions from the family. He died while visiting Smith in a Bahamas hospital where she had given birth to a daughter three days earlier.

Bahamian police investigating Smith's death expect to submit their report as early as this week to authorities who will determine whether a jury inquest is necessary."

Lights Out -- Jason Starr

In Jason Starr's novels, bad things happen to bad people. There are no admirable characters in Lights Out. Some are just worse than others. It's the story of two guys from Brooklyn, Jake and Ryan, who were high school baseball stars on the fast track to the majors. Jake makes it big, but Ryan, a pitcher, blows out his arm, has unsuccessful Tommy John surgery, and winds up painting houses for ten bucks an hour. He also falls in love with Jake's fiance, and when Jake comes home for a visit, things start to go downhill quickly.

There's another story, too, about an ex-con and former drug dealer who'd really like to go straight but who's finding it hard to do so. I'll leave it up to you to find out how the two stories get entangled and to discover who does what to whom, because that's part of the fun after all.

And speaking of fun, besides being a walk on the dark side, this book is often hilariously funny. You might not be expecting to get a bundle of laughs from a noir novel, but they're sure there. This is my new favorite among Jason Starr's novels. Check it out.

Cursive

This handwritten post was inspired by this one.

Speaking of Learning to Read . . . .

SPRUCEDALE, ONT. — When 100-year-old Clarence Brazier decided, at 93, that he'd have to learn to read his junk mail if he ever hoped to shop for himself, it was a matter of necessity — just as taking over the family farm had been when he was barely old enough to tie his shoes let alone shoe a horse.

Thanks to Karin Montin for the link.

Reading -- Going the Way of Cursive Writing?

Click the link to see the article leading to this conclusion. Thanks to Scott Cupp for the tip.

What is the worth of words? - The Practical Futurist - MSNBC.com: "We have made at least two generations of American children miserable trying to teach them a skill that only a small percentage of them really need. And we have wasted billions of dollars that might well have gone for more practical education and training.

In 2025 it’s time to put reading into perspective for the remainder of the 21st century: it is a luxury, not a necessity!"

Wolfking of L.A. -- John Phillips

Sometime back in 1969 or so I walked into a record store and saw this LP. I'd heard "Mississippi" on the radio, and I thought it was probably one of the best "Top 40"-type songs I'd heard in years, so I bought the album. I played it a lot because I liked every song on it. I never got tired of hearing "Mississippi," which was a bit different from the single version, or any of the others, particularly "Holland Tunnel," "April Anne," "Captain (The Mermaid)," or all the rest for that matter. When the album was released on CD the first time, I didn't buy it or even hear about it. Later, I looked for it used, but the prices were sky high. When it was released again recently, I couldn't wait to hear it. When I did, it was as if 35 years hadn't been more than 35 minutes. All the songs were instantly familiar and just as listenable as ever. If you get the chance, check it out. Great stuff. (Warning: Probably not of interest to headbangers.)

Sean Doolittle's Latest

I have it on good authority -- well, okay, I have it from Victor Gischler, and you can judge for yourself how good the authority is -- the Sean Doolittle composed the music that plays on the cool site for his new book, The Cleanup. Check it out.

Gator Update

Photo at the link.

local6.com - Local News - 9-Foot Alligator Found Under Hotel Cars: "A 9-foot alligator was found under some parked cars at a Central Florida hotel Wednesday, according to Local 6 News.

Trappers were called to the Hampton Inn located at 4760 Helen Hauser Blvd. in Titusville, Fla., after the alligator was spotted moving between vehicles.

'(The alligator) did not come in contact with any guests but you can imagine it did give them quite a scare,' Local 6's Jessica Sanchez said."

MWA Honors Stephen King

Stephen King Named 2007 Grand Master

It is our great pleasure to announce to our membership that the recipient of the 2007 Grand Master Award will be Stephen King.

The annual Grand Master Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in the mystery field and was established to recognize not only important contributions to the mystery field over time, but a significant output of consistently high quality as well.

"As Grand Master, Stephen King is the natural successor to Edgar Allan Poe," says Reed Farrel Coleman, Executive Vice President of Mystery Writers of America. "King is that rare jack all trades who masters all he attempts. He is a fearless writer."

King is an award-winning author of more than thirty books including MISERY, THE COLORADO KID, DOLORES CLAIBORNE, GERALD'S GAME and SECRET WINDOW, SECRET GARDEN. His latest novel, LISEY'S STORY is set to be released in October, 2006.

"I'm delighted to be getting the Grand Master Award and to be joining the company of some of my greatest idols and teachers -- people like John D. MacDonald, Ed McBain, and Donald E. Westlake," says King. "The award means a great deal to me personally, because it's an award from people who understand two things: the importance of good writing and the importance of telling stories."

King will receive the award at the 61st Annual Edgar® Banquet to be held on Thursday, April 26, 2007 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. The "Edgars" as they are commonly known are named after Mystery Writers of America's patron saint Edgar Allan Poe and are awarded to authors of distinguished work in various categories.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the Awards banquet next April.

The Times, They Are A-Changing

WP: Cursive writing becomes pass?- washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com: "WASHINGTON - The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand, and now it's threatening to finish off longhand.

When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2006, just 15 percent of the almost 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive. The rest? They printed. Block letters.

And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of U.S. students who no longer get much handwriting instruction in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive."