Other Random Posts

“There’s a Process?”

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Cover_svlMy friend author Paul Levine’s brand new website is up, just in time for the launch of his acclaimed new novel SOLOMAN VS LORD. It’s a slick site…go take a peek right now.  Among the many funny and interesting things on the site is this anecdote about his first Hollywood experience with a movie based on one of his books:

Here’s an actual telephone conversation between the naive novelist in Miami and
the savvy screenwriter in Hollywood:

NOVELIST
You didn’t use any of my notes.

SCREENWRITER

And you don’t understand the process.

NOVELIST
There’s a
process?

SCREENWRITER
See, you owned a car. You sold us the car.
Now, you want to drive the car. But I’m gonna drive it. You can wave as it goes
by. That’s the process.

Kicking Ass and Taking Names

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It seems like everywhere I turned today, I ran into the phrase "kicking ass and taking names."  It may have been clever the first time it was used, but it has become a cliche and, as such, lost whatever power it had.  Remember when "cut to the chase" used to sound clever? Now it’s as sharp a line as "stop beating around the bush."

Used Book Haul

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My wife and I were out running errands today.  One shop she visited was next door to…you guessed it… a used book store. Twenty minutes and ten dollars later, I emerged with:

HERITAGE OF BLACKOAKS by Ashley Carter (Harry Whittington)
SCANDAL OF FALCONHURST by Ashley Carter
ROGUE OF FALCONHURST by Ashley Carter
SWORD OF THE GOLDEN STUD by Ashley Carter (damn, I was going to use that title for my next DIAGNOSIS MURDER novel)
GUILTY BYSTANDER by Wade Miller
DRISCOLL’S DIAMONDS by Ian MacAlister (Marvin Albert)
THE MIERNIK DOSSIER by Charles McCarry

…then I got home and discovered I already have DRISCOLL’S DIAMONDS and SCANDAL OF FALCONHURST. Oh well.

Used Book Haul

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Between meetings today, I snuck into a used bookstore and here’s what I walked out with…

UNDER THE BURNING SUN by H.A. DeRosso
VENDETTA by Ed Gorman
DONOVAN by Elmer Kelton
.357 VIGILANTE by Ian Ludlow (I couldn’t resist getting an extra copy)
.357 VIGILANTE: MAKE THEM PAY by Ian Ludlow (ditto)
SECOND SIGHT by Charles McCarry
SECRET LOVERS by Charles McCarry
LAST SUPPER by Charles McCarry

I am, I Said

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I’ve always posted under my own name where ever I go on the Internet. I consider it a matter of principle. I can’t help noticing that 99% of the most opinionated flamers and abusive insult-slingers always hide behind pseudonyms in newsgroups and back-blogs. That makes it easy for them to behave in ways they never would if they had to take personal responsibility for their words and deeds. But that’s my reasoning…what’s yours for using your own name or choosing to use a pseudonym or handle instead?

Used Book Haul

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I walked into a used bookstore in Ojai… and walked out $22 lighter, but with these books in my bag:

Valleys of the Assassins by Ian MacAlister (Marv Albert)

Strike Force 7 by Ian MacAlister

Apache Rising by Marv Albert

The Last Smile by Marv Albert

Sweetheart by Andrew Coburn

The Trespassers by Andrew Coburn

Strictly for the Boys by Harry Whittington

Biscuit Shooter by Clifton Adams

I Am, I Said

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16_jpgAre you one of those people who can’t get enough of Neil Diamond? Cn5You know you are. I see you there, in your sequined shirt, working on your "Love on The Rocks" fanfic. Studio 360 did an entertaining segment on Super Diamond, a Neil Diamond tribute band. The segment focuses on a guy calling himself "Surreal Neil," but the best of the Diamond imitators is the unsung (pun intended) Kevin Hogan, aka  Fantastic Diamond. Please don’t ask me how I know that. Listen for yourself.

Comment Spam

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I’ve started using Typepad’s new option requiring people to register with Typekey before leaving comments… I’m hoping this will cut down on some of the "trolling" done by anonymous users who post simply to keep the flames burning. I apologize in advance for the inconvenience this will cause, at first, to my friends and regular participants on this blog.