#1 New York Times Bestselling Author & TV Producer
Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of junkmail solicitations from con artists who prey on aspiring authors. Here are two of the latest. One is from a guy who is offering to interview me on his radio show… for a price. ATTN: Lee G – Want to be a radio Star? I can make you … Read more
My brother Tod has started an interesting discussion on his blog about the role of voice in fiction. When someone tells me that they hear me in a book or story (fiction only here — in my essays and columns, you often are getting unfiltered Tod) I feel disappointed. My characters aren’t me and if … Read more
Novelist Richard Wheeler pointed me to a Los Angeles Times article about a group of science fiction writers who decided to stick it to PublishAmerica, the self-publishing scam that takes advantage of aspiring authors. Professional science fiction writers have long derided the PA scam, urging aspiring writers not to submit their work to the company. … Read more
The guy who wrote the letter that prompted the previous post replied today. He wanted me to read his script and, if I liked it, recommend him to my agent. In a nutshell, I said I wouldn’t, and listed all the reasons why, concluding with this advice: Don’t send me your script, and don’t send … Read more
I got an email today from a guy who says he’s been writing scripts and entering competitions for the last five years, ever since he got his MFA from York Univeristy in Toronto. He can’t get seem to get any "reputable agents" to read his work. I’m sure you can see where this is going. … Read more
I got this email today… Hello,I am a 21 year old aspiring model/actress/entertainer, my name is Melinda XYZ. My dream and goal is to work in all different aspects of the entertainment industry. I have the attitude and personality that it takes to make it in this industry. I am fun, energetic, and a beautiful … Read more
I received this email today. Dear Sir, Did you like the 1993 movie Falling Down starring Michael Douglas? I’ve got a screenplay Forty Plus about a computer operator who goes postal when the mainframe computer is phased out. Forty Plus is also more than that; it is an action screenplay in the tradition of The … Read more
This article, which I wrote, appeared last month on the Mystery Morgue website. Here it is again, by popular demand. If it seems familiar, that’s because some of it was culled from old posts on this blog. I’ve just signed a contract for four more Diagnosis Murder books… and the next one is due in … Read more
The web has made novelists far more accessible to their readers than ever before. But, as author Alison Kent observes, there’s a downside. I am often amazed that because authors choose to make themselves accessible on the web, readers feel they can say anything to them in an email. In my case, it means I … Read more
As a child, I was often admonished by a certain older brother that I was not to: 1. Go in his room when he wasn’t home. 2. Touch his stuff (which meant, basically, the stacks of TV Guides, over played Knack albums and his novel-in-progress…which was about an underwater sperm lab if memory serves me … Read more