#1 New York Times Bestselling Author & TV Producer
I can’t really collect my thoughts right now to express how much he meant to me…it’s not easy to type with tears in my eyes. He and Ernie Wallengren, who died way too young, were my mentors in the television business…and in so many other ways.
What keeps me watching are the storylines involving a decent but tormented FBI agent, but it’s hard to watch a series when you hate the central characters.
Lee Goldberg reviews books about actor Jan-Michael Vincent and writer-producer Steven Bochco.
I don’t think I’ve seen more than a couple episodes of the original MacGYVER, so I went into CBS’ new reboot with a totally open mind and no nostalgic baggage. I could look at it as a new series, rather than comparing it to my memories of a beloved old show. I wasn’t wowed. In fact, it was a battle to keeping watching and not check my email, browse my Facebook feed, or simply nod off.
I just got back from The Writers Police Academy where I, and two hundred other writers, got to play “cops and robbers.” It was my first time participating in the annual event which, I am told, is as close as you can get to actual police training without becoming a cop.
The difficulty, the sheer, agonizing torture, of writing DIAGNOSIS MURDER is telling a good story while, at the same time, constructing a challenging puzzle. To me, the story is more important than the puzzle — the book should be driven by character conflict, not my need to reveal clues. The revelations should come naturally out of character, because people read books to see interesting people in interesting situations…not to solve puzzles. A mystery, without the character and story, isn’t very entertaining.
I began writing it when I was nine years old. By the time I finished it, I was in my early twenties and was far enough along in my TV career that one of my filmed, unsold pilots actually became an entry in this book (If You Knew Sammy, a potential spin-off from Spenser: For Hire). I appreciated the irony. It somehow seemed fitting.
“As dark and twisted as anything Hammett or Chandler ever dreamed up….leaving Travis McGee in the dust.” Kirkus, Starred Review “Approaching the level of Lawrence Block is no mean feat, but Goldberg succeeds with this engaging PI novel.” Publishers Weekly “A wonderfully fresh voice in the mystery genre, Goldberg will delight fans of Janet Evanovich and Robert … Read more
Got a great birthday present today… my first copy of THE CHASE arrived in the mail. But the big birthday surprise was the fine print on the cover. I crapped myself when I saw that. I’ve dreamed my whole life of seeing that fine print by my name on the cover of a book. The … Read more
I’ve been collaborating for most of my professional life as a screenwriter and as a novelist. For twenty years, I wrote & produced TV shows with William Rabkin and plotted countless episodes with large writing staffs. I’ve also collaborated on over thirty books, most recently on the internationally bestselling Fox & O’Hare series with Janet … Read more