Tuesday, June 05, 2012
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
abc27 WHTM: A northeastern Pennsylvania man faces charges he assaulted a 9-year-old boy after losing a water balloon fight.
Paris Hilton Update
NY Daily News: “I love this judge. He’s so old,” Hilton, 31, was overheard telling her legal team as she waited to meet with 78-year-old Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who ordered her and Italian lingerie manufacturer LeBonitas to settle their dueling lawsuits.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Overlooked Movies -- Fandango
Okay, you know if you've followed the blog for very long that I'm a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and I love this one. One reason is that a lot of it was filmed in Texas. The director is Kevin Reynolds (it was his first movie), and he's a graduate of Baylor, where his dad was president. The graduates in the movie, however, are supposedly from The University of Texas at Austin.Besides being a coming-of-age story, it's also a road movie. The year is 1971, and Viet Nam's in full swing. Kevin Costner and four of his fraternity brothers (one of whom remains mostly unconscious for the entire running time) know that their draft numbers are up. They decide to have one last fling before whatever comes next, and they set off in a beautiful blue Cadillac. You can see a little of it in the poster there on the left. They have some amazing and hilarious adventures before the end of the journey, and I got a huge kick out of all of them. You can check the trailer above for some snippets of two of them.
I'm a nostalgic kind of guy, and this movie pushed a lot of the right buttons for me. It was the movie that brought Costner (who's very good) and Kevin Reynolds together, but don't hold that against it. Check it out.
Monday, June 04, 2012
2012 Shamus Awards Nominees
Best Hardcover Novel
Bye, Bye, Baby by Max Allan Collins / Tom Doherty
1222 by Anne Holt / Scribner
When the Thrill is Gone by Walter Mosley / Riverhead Books
A Bad Night’s Sleep by Michael Wiley / Minotaur
The Highly Effective Detective Crosses the Line by Richard Yancey / Minotaur
BEST FIRST PI NOVEL
The Plot Against Hip Hop by Nelson George / Akashic
Claire Dewitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran / Houghton Mifflin
The Ocean Forest by Troy D. Nooe / Ingalls
The Shortcut Man by P.G. Sturges / Scribner
The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams / Bantam
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL PI NOVEL
Quarry’s Ex by Max Allan Collins / Hard Case Crime
Threat Warning by John Gilstrap / Kensington
Serial by John Lutz / Kensington
Long Pig by James L. Ross / Perfect Crime Books
Fun & Games by Duane Swiercyzinski / Mulholland
BEST PI SHORT STORY
“A Bullet From Yesterday” by Terence Faherty in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (Jan.)
“Mr. Monk & The Sunday Paper” by Lee Goldberg in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (July)
“Who I Am” by Michael Z. Lewin in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (Dec.)
“Vampire Slayer Murdered in Key West” by Michael West in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (Sept. / Oct.)
“Dancer in a Storm” by L. A. Wilson in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (Jan. / Feb.)
PWA was founded in 1981 by Robert J. Randisi to recognize the private eye genre and its writers. P.I. Guy logo by Terry Beatty.
First It Was the Thin Mints Melee . . .
Weird News: Investigators say the 29-year-old man got into a fight with the woman over groceries. That's when the victim says the woman took off her leg and started hitting him.
An Ace on the Shelf – Pioneering Science Fiction from Ace Books
AbeBooks: An Ace on the Shelf – Pioneering Science Fiction from Ace Books: Fans of science fiction owe a great debt of gratitude to Ace Books. This pioneering publisher helped shape the genre by promoting influential authors and numerous important titles during the 1950s and 1960s.Ace Books was founded in New York by Aaron Wyn in 1952. The company began as a publisher of mysteries and western novels but quickly branched into science fiction, where it would find great success, including multiple wins at the Hugo and Nebula awards. Ace helped to launch the careers of several noted authors and published the debut novels of Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin and R.A. Lafferty.
Mervyn Peake, 
William Hanley, R. I. P.
NYTimes.com: William Hanley, who received critical acclaim as a Broadway and Off Broadway playwright in the 1960s and who later won Emmys for television scripts, died on May 25 at his home in Ridgefield, Conn. He was 80.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Nero Award Finalists
2012 NERO AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
The Nero Award is presented each year to an author for the best mystery written in the tradition of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe stories. It is presented at the Black Orchid Banquet, traditionally held on the first Saturday in December in New York City. The Nero Award celebrates literary excellence in the mystery genre.
- Guilt by Association, Marcia Clark
- The Silent Girl, Tess Gerritsen
- The House of Silk, Anthony Horowitz
- Spiral, Paul McEuen
- Though Not Dead, Dana Stabenow
- Black Orchid Blues, Persia Walker
The Wolfe Pack, the literary society that celebrates all things Nero Wolfe, also presents the Black Orchid Novella Award (BONA) in partnership with Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine to celebrate the Novella format popularized by Rex Stout. The BONA is also announced at the Black Orchid Banquet in December.
About the Wolfe Pack
The Wolfe Pack, founded in 1977, is a forum to discuss, explore, and enjoy the 72 Nero Wolfe books and novellas written by Rex Stout. The organization promotes fellowship and extends friendship to those who enjoy these great literary works of mystery through a series of events, book discussions, and a journal devoted to the study of the genius detective, Nero Wolfe, and his intrepid assistant, Archie Goodwin. The organization has more than 450 members worldwide.
To learn more, visit www.nerowolfe.org or send mail to Jane K. Cleland at NeroAwardChair@nerowolfe.org.
Free Today for Kindle
Amazon.com: The Bastard Hand eBook: Heath Lowrance: Kindle Store: Charlie Wesley is not right in the head. He’s escaped from a mental hospital up north and hitchhiked his way south, the voice of his dead brother urging him on. But when Charlie hits Memphis, the fine line between his delusions and reality shift in the form of the Reverend Phineas Childe—a preacher bent on booze and women; a Man of God with a dark agenda. Charlie is the perfect pawn in the Reverend’s game of retribution. And the small North Mississippi town of Cuba Landing will be the setting for the Reverend’s very personal Apocalypse. . . .
Free Today for Kindle
Amazon.com: Monster: Nightrider's Vengeance eBook: J.D. Nixx: Kindle Store: The ultimate terror weapon is alive...and she's out for revenge.
It was an idea born from the madness of the Colony Wars: create living weapons in the shape of man's ancient nightmares. Vampires. Werewolves. Zombies. They turned the tide of war and broke the back of the rebellion. But no one stopped to ask what they would do with a unit of Special Operations-trained vampires when the war was over. Not until it was too late, and the only solution was to try to wipe them out, using a bioweapon tailored to their unique genetic structure.
One survived.
Now Laura So, the last Nightrider, comes out of the darkness of deep space and sets off across humanity's far-flung settled worlds, seeking vengeance on the ones who ordered the massacre of her people, Along with her lover, the more-than-human medic who saved her life, she confronts not only her enemies, but the question of who she is and her place in the universe. Because beneath the monster's skin there beats a heart that's all too human...
It was an idea born from the madness of the Colony Wars: create living weapons in the shape of man's ancient nightmares. Vampires. Werewolves. Zombies. They turned the tide of war and broke the back of the rebellion. But no one stopped to ask what they would do with a unit of Special Operations-trained vampires when the war was over. Not until it was too late, and the only solution was to try to wipe them out, using a bioweapon tailored to their unique genetic structure.One survived.
Now Laura So, the last Nightrider, comes out of the darkness of deep space and sets off across humanity's far-flung settled worlds, seeking vengeance on the ones who ordered the massacre of her people, Along with her lover, the more-than-human medic who saved her life, she confronts not only her enemies, but the question of who she is and her place in the universe. Because beneath the monster's skin there beats a heart that's all too human...
Richard Dawson, R. I. P.
Richard Dawson Dies: ‘Family Feud’ Host Was 79 - ABC News: Richard Dawson known best for hosting the “Family Feud” and starring in “Hogan’s Heroes” has died, ABC News has confirmed.
He was 79. He died Saturday due to complications from cancer.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my father passed away this evening from complications due to esophageal cancer. He was surrounded by his family. He was an amazing talent, a loving husband, a great dad, and a doting grandfather. He will be missed but always remembered…,” wrote Dawson’s son Gary in a posting on Facebook early this morning.
He was 79. He died Saturday due to complications from cancer.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my father passed away this evening from complications due to esophageal cancer. He was surrounded by his family. He was an amazing talent, a loving husband, a great dad, and a doting grandfather. He will be missed but always remembered…,” wrote Dawson’s son Gary in a posting on Facebook early this morning.
The Desert Demons -- Kenneth Robeson (Will Murray)
I didn't pick up the Doc Savage reprints by Bantam at first, but once I did, I ran through a big stack of them, one after the other. I still have dozens of them around here.Now The Man of Bronze is back in a new series billed as "The All-New WILD Adventures of Doc Savage," the first of which is The Desert Demons. I'm not sure this story is any wilder than the ones in the original series, but it's wild enough, and it's a lot of fun. What Doc is investigating here is the mystery of strange copper-colored clouds that seem alive. They descend on people and things, and when they're gone, nothing is left but shapes that disintegrate into tiny white particles. Even worse from Doc's point of view, one of the people who's disappeared into a copper cloud is his sister, Pat.
The story's full of action from first to last, with car chases, hand grenades, gun battles, fisticuffs, and everything else you'd expect in a fine pulp adventure. Doc's crew -- Ham, Monk, Renny, Long Tom, and Johnny -- are all here, and all play a part. Monk's pig, Habeus Corpus, and Ham's ape, Chemistry, are here, too. And here's the good part: Gators! Doc versus two of the little snappers! Guess who wins.
Will Murray does a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of the original Doc Savage novels and also the style. It's been a long time since I read the Bantam editions of Doc's exploits, but I think if you slipped this one into the batch, nobody would know it didn't belong there. In fact, it does belong there. It just continues the series in swell fashion.
If you're a fan of Doc, you'll definitely want this one. If you'd like to get to know him and his crew, this would be a great place to start.
Mervyn Peake, Titus Alone, Ballantine, 1968
Saturday, June 02, 2012
Kathryn Joosten, R. I. P.
latimes.com: Actress Kathryn Joosten, best known as the cranky neighbor on "Desperate Housewives," died Saturday of lung cancer at her Westlake Village home, her daughter-in-law, Jeremy Joosten, told The Times. She was 72.
Joosten won two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of Mrs. McCluskey, the cranky but lovable senior who kept a close eye on her Wisteria Lane neighbors on "Desperate Housewives." The hit show ended its run on ABC last month with a series finale in which Joosten's character passed away. Her character's battle with cancer was a story line in the show.
Joosten won two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of Mrs. McCluskey, the cranky but lovable senior who kept a close eye on her Wisteria Lane neighbors on "Desperate Housewives." The hit show ended its run on ABC last month with a series finale in which Joosten's character passed away. Her character's battle with cancer was a story line in the show.
Free Today for Kindle
Amazon.com: Russian Roulette (Hannibal Jones Mysteries) eBook: Austin S. Camacho: Kindle Store: Washington D.C.'s professional troubleshooter, Hannibal Jones, is enraged when he is forced to take a case at gunpoint. His client is a Russian assassin who will kill Hannibal's beloved, Cindy Santiago, if Hannibal refuses to help him. With no choice, Hannibal agrees to investigate the smooth, wealthy Algerian who has stolen the heart of the woman his new client loves. At first the case looks simple - what woman would not choose a rich African businessman over a professional killer? His view changes when evidence surfaces connecting the Algerian to Russian mob money and the apparent suicide of the girl's father several years earlier. Further investigation reveals that the Algerian may not be who he says he is. Then more deaths follow, closing in on the Algerian and the girl. At first working only to protect Cindy's life, Hannibal is soon chasing the truth for its own sake and must fight his way through past lies, present jealousies and the Red Mafiya to learn the real reason that death is stalking the couple. Hannibal peels the Algerian's history like an onion, each layer revealing a false identity. His search for the truth leads to a dramatic shootout on Roosevelt Island, side-by-side with his murderous client.
London, France's sixth biggest city
BBC News: More French people live in London than in Bordeaux, Nantes or Strasbourg and it is now thought to be France's sixth biggest city in terms of population.
Sigh
Slate Magazine: Can I let you in on a secret? Typing two spaces after a period is totally, completely, utterly, and inarguably wrong.
Friday, June 01, 2012
PimPage: An Occasional Feature in Which I Call Interesting Books to Your Attention
Amazon.com: Laughing at Dead Men eBook: Keith Rawson: Kindle Store: Laughing at Dead Men is a brand new story collection from the dark mind of Keith Rawson.
Come Again: Literary Sequels
Come Again: Literary Sequels on AbeBooks: What's better than a gripping, captivating, riveting read? Another one, of course. That's where the sequel comes in. A sequel is a piece of work complete in itself, but continuing the story or narrative of a work that came before it. Sounds pretty simple but it can become complicated. A literary sequel can occasionally be more loosely defined. For instance, some books that contain the same or related characters as the previous work, while focusing on an entirely different narrative or theme, can still be considered sequels. Sometimes an author will write a book introducing earlier, backstory of a work he or she has already written. The book is written after the original, but takes place earlier in the story (think the Star Wars movies). This is a prequel.
Joy Chant, Red Moon and Black Mountain, Ballantine, 1973
Okay, Here's Your Big Opportunity!
You Can Write a DEAD MAN Novel - A Writer's Life: How would you like to become a PUBLISHED AUTHOR...and win $1000 in cash and prizes?
Peacemaker Awards
Western Fictioneers (WF) is pleased to announce the WINNERs for the first annual (2011) Peacemaker Awards.
LIFE ACHIEVEMENT PEACEMAKER:
Jory Sherman
BEST WESTERN SHORT STORY
WINNER:
Troy D. Smith -- “The Sin of Eli” Publisher: WF anthology Traditional West
FINALISTS:
“Planting Season” by Johnny D Boggs (Cactus Country Anthology, Volume I – High Hill Press)
“The Way of the West” by Larry J. Martin (The Traditional West anthology, WF)
“The Sin of Eli” by Troy D. Smith (The Traditional West anthology, WF)
“Panhandle Freight” by LJ Washburn (The Traditional West anthology, WF)
“The Death of Delgado” by Rod Miller (The Traditional West anthology, WF)
“Stay of Execution” by Lucia St. Clair Robson (Cactus Country Anthology, Volume I – High Hill Press)
BEST WESTERN NOVEL:
WINNER:
James Reasoner -- Redemption, Kansas Publisher: Berkley
FINALISTS:
The Sonora Noose by Jackson Lowry (Berkley)
Blood Trails by Lyle Brandt (Berkley)
The Assassination of Governor Boggs by Rod Miller (Bonneville Books)
Between Hell and Texas by Dusty Richards (Kensington Pinnacle imprint)
BEST WESTERN FIRST NOVEL:
WINNER:
Wayne Dundee -- Dismal River Publisher: Oak Tree Press
FINALISTS:
Unbridled by Tammy Hinton (Roots and Branches Publishing)
The Black Hills by Rod Thompson (Berkley)
Bullets And Bad Bad Men by B.A. Kelly (Oak Tree Press)
The Guerrilla Man by Steven Clark (Solstice Publishing)
Western Fictioneers (WF) was formed in 2010 by Robert J. Randisi, James Reasoner, Frank Roderus, and other professional Western writers, to preserve, honor, and promote traditional Western writing in the 21st century. Entries were accepted in both print and electronic forms. The Peacemaker Awards will be given out annually. Submissions for the 2012 awards will be open in July, 2012. Submission guidelines will be posted on the WF web site. For more information about Western Fictioneers (WF) please visit:
Forgotten Books: Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazine 12/71
Yes, I know it's not a book. Still, I'll bet you don't remember it, so it halfway fits here. When I saw this a while back, I couldn't resist picking it up, mainly because it reprints the first Ed Noon story by Mike Avallone, originally published in 1949 (don't ask me where). I'd never read the story, so I thought I'd take a look. Appropriately enough, there's a headnote by "The Editor's" (sic) that promises "the kind of fast, cracking action that has made Mike Avallone one of the very top crime writers today.""A Bullet for Big Nick" is a revenge tale. Ed Noon, cop turned private-eye, is after the guy who had is former partner killed. That's pretty much it. Lots of violence, with Noon taking enough punishment to put a bull out of commission, while dealing out an equal or greater amount.
For those of you who are wondering, yes, the Avallone writing style was already in full flower: "Big Nick Torrento was staring at me curiously from the depths of a large, square desk."
Avallone's storytelling ability is there, too. The action never slows down, and Noon's first-person narrative takes you right along.
The stories not listed on the cover are by names you'll recognize. Well, I did. Edward Wellen, Jeffrey Wallman, Richard Deming, and Edward D. Hoch.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
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