My Blog

Are Novelizations Doomed?

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Slate wonders if novelizations are endangered species:

novelizations have been supplanted by big-selling tie-ins—original novels based on existing properties such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, CSI, or Halo—and the Internet. In a DVD world, the idea of using a book to relive the pleasures of a film is practically counterintuitive.

[…]The home-theater revolution may have wiped out a large part of the novelization market, but the lessons learned may wind up sustaining the genre. When DVDs first arrived, the studios quickly realized that they could get fans to "double dip" by issuing a bare-bones release of a movie and then following it with a "Deluxe Edition" loaded with special features. Now it looks like literary special features—expanded back stories, cut scenes, and deleted characters—might just make the novelization relevant again.

A Bookstore That Monk Would Never Visit

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P6280127_1 We just arrived in Phoenix for Thrillerfest. On the way, we stopped in Quartzite, AZ for a hamburger and discovered the most unusual bookstore I’ve ever seen. It’s called Reader’s Oasis  and the gregarious proprietor, Paul Winer, likes to walk around the store nude. Naturally, Paul had a large selection of my books. These are my people.

I think Paul has stumbled on the perfect way for independent bookstores to compete with the big box book stores.  This idea could really catch on in L.A… if the salesclerks were all Baywatch babes.

Speaking of babes, there’s some kind of sorority or cheerleader convention going on in this very same hotel. I know some single thriller writers who are going to be very busy trying to thrill these other conventioneers. P6280128

Perhaps because of the large crowd, we lucked into an amazing, free upgrade. We are staying in a huge, third floor suite overlooking the golf course. It has a living room, full kitchen, and a giant shaded patio. We may never leave the room.

Simon and Simon

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TVShowsonDVD reports that the first season of SIMON AND SIMON is coming out on DVD in October. I wonder if it will include the original, unaired pilot. Some footage from that pilot was later incorporated into another episode.  That’s the kind of stuff that makes the difference between a great DVD set and once that’s only okay.  I also wonder if the first season shows will have the original theme which, like the MAGNUM PI theme, was dropped in favor of a new one for the second season.

Out to Lunch

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Tomorrow, I am heading off with my family to Phoenix for five days to attend the Thrillerfest convention. I don’t know if I’ll be blogging much, if at all, while I’m away. And since my brother Tod has a blog of his own now, I don’t have a guest-blogger taking my place. So don’t be surprised if things are a little quiet around here until next week.

Monk Revealed

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There’s a detailed interview with my friends Terry Erdmann & Paula Block, authors of the terrific new book  MONK: THE OFFICIAL EPISODE GUIDE, over at the Monk Fun Page. The book is every bit as breezy and enjoyable as the show and is full of amusing and revealing anecdotes about the development and production of MONK. You can also watch a video interview with Terry and read Monk creator Andy Breckman’s Forward from the book over at the USA Network Monk site.

I Really Hope This Isn’t A Hoax Because I SO Want It To Be True…

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Rush Limbaugh has been busted for possession of illegal prescription drugs… again.

Limbaugh was returning on a flight from the Dominican Republic when customs officials found a Viagra prescription that did not bear his name. Instead, the bottle of pills had the names of two doctors on it
according to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.

(Thanks to Making Light for the link).

MASH Memories

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Ken Levine proves, once again, why his blog is a must-read for anyone who loves television, writing, and a good laugh. You don’t want to miss Part One of his latest M*A*S*H memory…the story of how he and his partner got their first assignment on the show. Next, I want him to tell us all about JOE & SONS…the complete series is sure to come out on DVD any day now.

This made me laugh

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Keiraknightleybeach13
From Fleshbot:

No matter how far away you get, Keira Knightley, no matter how thick
you think your shirt is, no matter how private you think that beach is,
no matter what the resolution on the orbital telescope being used to
track your movements around the globe … we can still see your nipple.
Not that we’re obsessed with it or anything, we just thought you should
know.

This is a great time to be alive if you are a TV Geek Like me

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TVShowsOnDVD reports that the complete series of the 70s sitcom BRIDGET LOVES BIRNEY is being released on DVD in September for $29.95. Then again, the complete series of ROAR, BOOK OF DANIEL, and COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF are coming out, too… so it’s clear this whole TV Shows on DVD business makes no sense at all. But it gives me hope that such forgotten classics as, ahem, SHE-WOLF OF LONDON and MURPHY’S LAW will some day show up on the shelves at Best Buy.

Booksigning 101

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My friend Joe Konrath offers some detailed advice on doing bookstore signings. I agree with a lot of what he has to say but he mentioned something that absolutely stunned me:

I did an event last Saturday, and sold 40 hardcover books in 6 hours.
The week before I did 40 books in 8 hours (store wasn’t as crowded).
Week before, 60 books in 8 hours. My record is 120 in ten hours.

[…]Time
to Leave. How long you stay is up to you. I think four hours is
minimum, and if the store is really busy I’ll stay for six or more.

He’ll stay in a store for eight hours?  Geez, at that point, he might as well get a job there. I wouldn’t stay eight hours. I think at that point he crosses the line from dedication and enthusiasm into… well, something kind of scary. I even think four hours is pushing it.

I’ve been at this a while and most authors I know, from those just starting out to the most wildly successful,  will stay at a store for two hours tops, unless it’s some kind of special event (which usually includes other authors). Four hours minimum? I don’t think so. It clearly works for Joe  but I think for most authors it’s overstaying your welcome.