#1 New York Times Bestselling Author & TV Producer
Tracy Farnsworth at Roundtable Reviews has given MR. MONK IN TROUBLE a rave. She writes, in part:
Lee Goldberg always captures Monk’s nuances perfectly. He injects the mysteries with just the right amount of humor and tackles subjects I only wish I’d seen on television.[..] When I’m looking for a bit of escapism and a lot of laughs, Goldberg’s Monk books get top billing.
Thanks, Tracy! MR. MONK IN TROUBLE comes out in bookstores everywhere on Dec. 1st.
The Red Adept blog reviews the Kindle edition of my 1985 novel .357 VIGILANTE #2: MAKE THEM PAY and was far kinder to the book than I had any right to expect. Here's an excerpt from the review:
The storyline flowed fast and furious. There wasn’t a lot of thought put out regarding vigilantism and whether it is good or bad. There was no preaching or lectures, either. This was just a fast-moving, roller coaster ride of a story.[…]this is not a literary novel. You don’t read it for the great metaphors, flowery prose, or vivid descriptions. You read if for the action. With that, Mr. Goldberg really hits his stride. The action scenes are wonderful, quick reads, with plenty of tight descriptions. He knows just when to draw out the scene and when to just get on with it.
Bookgasm’s Bruce Grossman gave my brother Tod’s new book OTHER RESORT CITIES a rave review today. Here’s an excerpt:
The people who populate these stories could totally exist in our society and probably some do. They are just like you and me, but with some truly twisted backstories. Some of these stories could be expanded into even further lengths. While I’d love to read more about these people, I definitely would not want to hang out with most of them. OTHER RESORT CITIES is an eye-opening look at life in today’s society, never sugarcoating its harsh reality
Later in the day at the Men of Mystery event, Tim Dorsey told a story about being approached by a fan in the Men's room. I wonder if the guy who approached felt stupid after that. Men of Mystery was a lot of fun again this year. Paul Levine, Barry Eisler and Michael Connelly all made good-natured jokes at my expense in their presentations but I didnt hear any of them because I was busy emailing myself notes for my new Monk book. I don't know why, but in middle of the event I suddenly figured out a new story for the book and decided to trash the one I was working on — so I took notes before I forgot my idea. When it came time for my presentation, I withstood the urge to make a joke at Sam McCarver's expense but Tod didn't. At the book signing, Tod once again saw the 60 year old woman who regales him every year with stories of her long distance romance with a 22 year old guy in Zimbabwe who only occasionally asks to be wired money. Ah, true love. Bob Levinson joked that he's been coming to Men of Mystery for 10 yrs and still hasn't sold a book. He must come for the mushroom soup.
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I am at the Men of Mystery event in Irvine. I just went to the men's room and was standing at a urinal when the guy next to me said "I am a huge fan of your Monk novels." And offered me his hand. I said "You have got to be kidding" and didn't even look at him. I bet it was Barry Eisler.
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I never thought I'd say this…but the 1990 first-run syndicated series SHE-WOLF OF LONDON aka LOVE & CURSES is finally coming out on DVD. TVShowsOnDVD reports that the complete series, the London and L.A. episodes, will be out February 2. William Rabkin and I were the showrunners and wrote almost all of the episodes.
The show was hardly seen…it aired as part of Universal Studios' fledgling "Hollywood Premiere Network," which basically consisted of KCOP in Los Angeles and a station in New York. Other shows on the "network" were THEY CAME FROM OUTER SPACE and SHADES OF L.A.
You can find some of the SHE-WOLF scripts, and even the Writers Guidelines for the show, here.
I got an email the other day from Sherry Ellis with the attention-grabbing, in-y0ur-face subject heading: "Please Post Information On Your Blog."
Wow. Who wouldn't be hooked by a heading like that? Who wouldn't be gripped by an uncontrollable need to open that email? I certainly couldn't resist. I was overwhelmed with interest and curiosity. I just had to read more. She goes on to say:
I am the author of Illuminating Fiction, a book of author interviews, and I hope that you will be willing to post information about this book on your blog.
Illuminating Fiction contains nineteen interviews with fiction-writing luminaries including Edward P. Jones, Julia Glass, Amy Bloom, Jill McCorkle, Margot Livesy, Ron Carlson and Steve Almond.
[…]
I am also the author of Now Write! and Now Write! Non-Fiction, which are collections of writing exercises. Now Write! was selected as one of the best writing books of the year by The Writer. Finally, I am a writing coach who previously taught writing in Concord, Mass.Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.
She's a writing coach? And that's the best she could do for a press release? Good God.
She reminds me of the contestant on Hell's Kitchen last season who charged $300-an-hour to teach cooking but couldn't grill a piece of fish. She's a writing coach who needs coaching on how to write a compelling press release.
Does she really think her unbelievably dull email will hook bloggers and make them want to write about her and her book?
On the plus side, she's written something other writing coaches, or perhaps the future author of Now Write! Press Releases and Query Letters, can use as a perfect example of how not to write a press release, query letter, or any other solicitation.
Then again, it worked. I've posted about her book on my blog. But perhaps not in the way she would have liked…
Sorry I've been absent here on the blog. There's just been too much to do. Next week is looking crazy, too. I have two important studio pitch meetings next week to prepare for…and I need to start working on the outline for the next MONK novel…and I have to keep up with my reading of ROMEO & JULIET (I'm helping my daughter, who is having a rough time with her Honors English class). On top of that, I need to do research for a pitch/approach on an open feature assignment that I'm up for. I sure wish I got paid for pitches, I'd be financially set for life.
Here's the edited version of the live, interactive FAST TRACK: NO LIMITS webshow I did a couple of weeks ago with actors Erin Cahill and Andrew Walker, automotive technical consultant Sam Barer, and callers/chatters from all over the world. I hope you enjoy it!
I finished writing MR. MONK IS CLEANED OUT, my 10th original MONK novel, last night and delivered it to my publisher. I always feel a little bit dazed and lost after finishing a book. It takes a few days for me to adjust to not having the story "in my head" all the time and to no longer feeling that ever-present deadline pressure. It's also kind of odd to suddenly have a bunch of hours open up in my day (and nights) for other things. But that will change soon. I've got to start writing a new spec feature script, thinking about the plot of my next MONK novel, and preparing for pitch meetings that I have later this week and early next week…