Another one I didn't win

Received my return envelope for the 2007 Nerve Cowboy Chapbook Contest. Congratulations to winner David J. Thompson, runner-up Michelle Barnette, and second runner-up Suellen Luwish.

Back to the drawing board.

Haven't seen this one in a while

Editor BJ Bourg of Mouth Full of Bullets has accepted my story "Stunts" for reprint in September '07.

Riotous

Poetry Editor Charles P. Ries of Word Riot, has accepted "The Magician's Assistant" and "Translation" for future publication.

NCIS: The Third Season

My latest DVD review for Crimespree Cinema.

2007 Edgar Analysis

I hadn't read enough of the nominees to predict the winners, but I had my favorites, and only one of them won. Congrats again to the winners and nominees.

I Despise Typoes Typos

I've always had a keen sense of language, a feeling that it should be respected. Typos annoy me because the bulk of them can be avoided with diligence, but it's worse to spot typos of my own. Yesterday I discovered I had labeled one of my blog posts "Televison". I deleted the misspelled label right away, but it shows up behind the scenes though no posts are associated with it, a Blogger bug. To guard against future typos, I created the label "TV" and re-labeled my television posts with it.

Drive's License Revoked

Who didn't see this coming? For a plethora of bad cancellation puns, cruise over to Zap2it.com.

The Bloody Sock

Current Baltimore Orioles broadcaster Gary Thorne evidently said during a game that the sock soaked in Curt Schilling's blood during his heroic comeback performance in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees was a painted hoax. Thorne said Red Sox catcher Doug Marabelli told him the sock was painted. Mirabelli denies saying anything.

My take as a Yankee fan: So what? We lost.

Regis Philbin Returns

Six weeks and a day after bypass surgery, the cantankerous king of morning talk returned, greeted by the rarely-interviewed David Letterman, who underwent similar surgery eight years ago by the same team of doctors—also guests on today's show. Closing out Regis's welcome-back was a surprise disco number by five men dressed as Regis dancing to the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive".

TRIM: The Mannequin Envy Anthology

The first print anthology from the editors of Mannequin Envy is now available from lulu.com for $11.50 (or free download) and features my poem "My uncle talks about himself" on page 81.

Please consider supporting this fine e-zine with a purchase.

NCIS: "Brothers in Arms"

As previously blogged, I'm not a fan of wild goose chases or characters' personal lives overwhelming plot. Last night's episode oddly combined these elements as Director Shepard followed a slim lead on "The Frog" and Tony met Jeanne's mother.

Don't get me wrong. I'm happy for Tony. His fumbling at a relationship feels real and his progression from office horndog to somewhat more sensitive man is believable, but the segments of How Tony Met Jeanne's Mother killed the momentum of Jenny's obsessive chase while the gravity of her pursuit made Tony's dinner date seem hokey.

What's in a Nametag?

This being a summer-like day, I walked 2.3 miles to the train station and headed west for Black Orchid Bookshop's annual Edgar party. With a crowd covering half the block, I couldn't say hello to everyone I wanted. Nametags were in short supply and as I haven't written a novel yet, I didn't press for one. I did talk poetry with soon-to-debut mystery author Liz Zelvin, and talked baseball with Lee Child and Reed Coleman. S.J. Rozan, Jason Starr, Harry Hunsicker, Anthony Rainone, and Jason Pinter came up to chat. B'con 2008 co-host Judy Bobalik introduced herself as a DetecToday lurker. I heard tell of Sarah Weinman's travels and witnessed Dave White's first two Coronas of the night. I wonder if Mary Reagan snapped a picture of me.

I would've liked to have read more of the authors' work and thus felt comfortable introducing myself, but oh well. Half the reason I attend events is to observe without horning in. Next time, though, I'll bring my own nametag.

Look, down in a mine...

My brother alerts me to this article on the discovery of a mineral nearly matching the composition of kryptonite as described in Superman Returns. Under international nomenclature rules, it can't officially be called kryptonite. Instead it will be called Jadarite after the region of Serbia where it was discovered.

Charmed, I'm sure.

I will be attending Bouchercon: Charmed to Death, October 9-12, 2008 at the Sheraton Baltimore City Center. Don't miss this chance to see me live!

The Man Behind the Music

SPENSER: FOR HIRE theme composer Steve Dorff turns 58 today. Dorff also composed the GROWING PAINS theme. His IMDb page includes a headshot.

Now that's casting.

According to IMDb, experienced warrior princess Lucy Lawless voices Wonder Woman in the upcoming DVD release Justice League: New Frontier. Brooke Shields voices Carol Ferris to David Boreanaz's Hal Jordan.

Fad as Inspiration

remark. editor Kathleen Paul-Flanagan has accepted my poem "The Magic Eye Puzzle" for the July 2007 issue.

Eduardo Chespizza hits THE MARK

My entry for Jason Pinter's Best Fake Name Contest brought home the gold, a prize package including an ARC of Pinter's debut novel The Mark and a custom notebook.

Thank you, Jason. Eduardo says, "Grazie."

Crime fiction in the wake of real crime

It's come to light that the Virginia Tech gunman was an English major who produced disturbing creative writing. As previously blogged, my knowledge of the tragedy was delayed several hours as I was writing crime fiction. In fact I've written two stories this week.

The correlation between crime fiction and real crime raised questions on Crimespace.

From Julie Lomoe:

Of course the greatest tragedy is the immediate loss to the victims, their friends and families, and all the students at the school. But undoubtedly this underlying theme about creative writing will play out in the press in weeks, even years, to come. What will it mean for mystery writers in terms of suspicion and censorship?

My comment:

The gunman's creative writing may look more suspicious now simply because we're trying to find logical connections to the senseless event. I'm optimistic that the tragedy won't reflect badly on mystery writers because mystery fiction emphasizes the puzzle over the crime. Crime fiction itself often shows clear lines of morality even if the characters cross them.

From Jordan Dane:

Why do you read crime fiction? Do you think books allow us to feel more in control because in a fictional world, wrongs can be righted with more certainty than real life?

My comment:

I enjoy the clarity of crime fiction. I may not be able to predict the outcome--in fact it's best when I can't--but I can follow the clues well enough that the ending satisfies--whether it's happy, sad, or neutral. I like the fact that every sentence of a crime novel serves a purpose: to establish a tone, reveal character, build suspense, etc.

I also like the series familiarity that develops in genre series but seldom in literary fiction.

From Robert K. Foster's comment on Dane's question:

...I find that crime/mystery fiction is the closest thing to the "real world" in fiction. It deals with things we all see everyday, more so than SciFi or Fantasy. With SciFi or Fantasy you can bring things back into the "real world" like heroism or whatever. With Crime/Mystery fiction it's already there.

My reply to Foster's comment:

All fiction is something of an escape from reality. Because it appears so close to reality, it's easier for me to leap to crime fiction than to science fiction/fantasy. Once there I can, in Richard Slotkin's words, "play imaginatively at being both policeman and outlaw." For most people, imaginative play doesn't cross into reality; empathizing with a fictitious criminal doesn't drive them to commit crime.

On some level certainly with the second story, I was motivated to write to dispel any shadow the real crime unfairly cast on crime fiction.

Don Mattingly

My favorite all-time Yankee, the team's current bench coach, turns 46 today. I would post a picture, but Blogger has started setting limits on picture storage. Ah, well. I've always been a bigger fan of text.

Did You Know?: Larry Bird is Don Mattingly's brother-in-law, married to his sister Dinah since 1989.

WENN: Darabont Angry at "Wasted Year" Over 'Indiana Jones 4' Script

The Shawshank Redemption filmmaker Frank Darabont has hit out at movie mogul George Lucas for preventing Steven Spielberg from shooting his script for the upcoming Indiana Jones sequel, claiming his efforts were "a waste of a year." Darabont wrote a screenplay for the highly-anticipated movie, which is still known by its working title of Indiana Jones 4, and insists director Spielberg was happy with it. However, producer Lucas didn't think it was good enough. Darabont tells MTV.com, "It showed me how badly things can go. I spent a year of very determined effort on something I was very excited about, working very closely with Steven Spielberg and coming up with a result that I and he felt was terrific. He wanted to direct it as his next movie, and then suddenly the whole thing goes down in flames because George Lucas doesn't like the script. I told him (Lucas) he was crazy. I said, 'You have a fantastic script. I think you're insane, George.' You can say things like that to George, and he doesn't even blink. He's one of the most stubborn men I know." He adds, "I have no idea if there's a shred of (my script) left. It was a tremendous disappointment and a waste of a year." And Darabont has no plans to reveal what his Indiana Jones script contains: "At this point, I don't give much of a damn what George thinks, but I wouldn't want to harm my friendship with Steven."

When I first heard this story I sided with Darabont, but now that Spielberg and Lucas have approved David Koepp's script, Darabont is sounding childish, playing one friend against the other. If I called someone "insane" and he didn't even blink, I wouldn't say he was stubborn; I'd say he was patient. If Darabont doesn't want to hurt his friendship with Spielberg, perhaps he shouldn't blast Spielberg's friend Lucas.

"If you hurt my friends and you hurt my pride, I gotta be a man. I can't let it slide."

Alex Rodriguez comes up big again

ARod's season of redemption continued today with last-out three-run homer lifting the Yankees over the Cleveland Indians 8-6.

Gatorade or Bust

NEW YORK (AP) -- Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was fined $100,000 by the NFL for wearing a cap during Super Bowl media day that promoted a sponsor not authorized by the league.

NFL rules prohibit gear that advertises any product but a designated sponsor, league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday.

Urlacher was fined for drinking vitaminwater and wearing a vitaminwater hat during the media session in Miami leading to the title game. Gatorade is the NFL's official drink.

McCarthy said this is the first time such a fine has been levied. He added that $100,000 is the standard fine for such a violation at the Super Bowl. A violation during the regular season is $10,000. It is $50,000 at the Pro Bowl.

Part of this complete breakfast

Today I tried some Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola. Good, and filling.

Come on down.

The search for Bob Barker's replacement on The Price is Right has narrowed to three contenders, entertainment reporters Todd Newton and Mark Steines and actor George Hamilton. I know Newton hosted The New Press Your Luck, but I'd like to see George get the job. He has the sweeping personalty, and it's a small step up from Ritz Toasted Chips commercials.

FOX Pulls Bones Episode

Zap2it.com reports that, in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, FOX has pulled tomorrow night's scheduled episode of Bones, involving the murder of a basketball player on a nationally-ranked team. No future airdate has been set.

I wasn't going to blog about yesterday's shooting. My knowledge of it was delayed several hours as I was writing a story, and I would've liked to go on escaping into fiction. I don't think any sense can be made of events like this. I'm grateful I was able to grow up, go to school, and teach with no threat of violence, and I regret that many of today's students and teachers can't say the same.

Drive?

As a loyal Browncoat, I've watched the first three episodes of Tim Minear's Drive, starring Nathan Fillion as a Nebraska landscaper forced into a secret, illegal, cross-country road race when his wife is kidnapped. Like Firefly, Drive has a huge cast of characters, with ulterior motives and secrets "driving" each of them.

I'm not a fan of wild goose chases or unknown forces playing with people's lives. The show didn't make a splash in the ratings despite a lot of hype. It's probably not long for FOX's schedule, but I've got nothing better to do Mondays at 8.

Aloha, Don Ho

The legendary Hawaiian singer has died at 76.

Shia LaBeouf Joins Indy IV

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg have officially added Shia LeBeouf to the Indy IV cast. LeBeouf was previously rumored to be playing Indy's son. We shall see.

PAYBACK: STRAIGHT UP

I was excited about Payback before it premiered in 1999. I had just started reading the Parker books by Richard Stark and was a fan of Mel Gibson, Maria Bello, and Lucy Liu. I liked the movie fine as it was, but it didn't make as big a splash as I expected, with me, critics, or other moviegoers. In my opinion, the Parker character was just a bit too good, shades of jokey Mel.

I knew going in that Brian Helgeland had been replaced as director, but I didn't know he'd had time to shoot an entire movie that was then passed up by Paramount and Gibson. I also didn't know that the rift between Helgeland, Gibson, and Paramount was as amicable as rifts get. Helgeland wrote Conspiracy Theory, staying on-set for the entire shoot and bonding with Mel and Richard Donner. Gibson spotted Helgeland with a partial script to Payback and gave him his first shot to direct. Payback started as a small movie between friends. Helgeland left the picture after being asked to re-shoot the third act simply because he only knew how to make the movie he envisioned.

Watching Helgeland's cut, I can see why Paramount and Mel made the changes they did. At the same time, I'm glad Helgeland's footage was saved in perfect condition to make this second cut. Indeed, without Gibson's support, we may never have seen it.

In addition to the fast-moving 90-minute movie, there's a commentary by Helgeland and all the behind-the-scenes footage you could want, including recent interviews with a bushy-bearded Mel, Maria Bello, Deborah Kara Unger (Mrs. Porter), Richard Donner, Donald Westlake, and others.

Eric Johnson is Flash Gordon

Zap2it.com reports Eric Johnson, who played Clark's first-season rival Whitney Fordman on Smallville, has been cast as Sci Fi Channel's Flash Gordon. Ah-ah!

NCIS: "Cover Story"

Someone is killing the inspirations for characters in McGee's work-in-progress. Who's had access to the manuscript pages? The thinnest-plotted, most predictable episode ever. Please give the McGee-as-famous-author arc a rest. It's not being handled realistically, which sticks out on a show that's mostly believable.

"Don't do the rhyme if you can't do the time."

Editor Richard Geyer of Contemporary Rhyme has accepted my poem "Fourth Wall" for the Spring '07 issue.

2007 Derringer Finalists

As announced by the Short Mystery Fiction Society:

Flash Fiction

Jan Christensen, “Matched Set“ (Long Story Short, Winter, 2006)
Barry Ergang, “Vigilante” (Mysterical-E, Summer 2006)
Michelle Mach, “Snowflake Therapy” (Thereby Hangs a Tale, June 2006)
Jill Maser, “Flight School” (Flashshots. August 28, 2006)
Sandra Seamans, “Home Entertainment” (A Cruel World, July/August 2006)


Short-Short Stories

Gail Farrelly, “Even Steven” (Mouth Full of Bullets, Winter 2006)
John M. Floyd, “Four For Dinner” (Seven by Seven)
Justin Gustainis, “Interview” (Cape Fear Crime Festival, October, 2006)
Steven Torres, “Elena Speaks of the City, Under Siege” (Crimespree Magazine September/October 2006)
Frank Zafiro, “The Worst Door” (Dispatch, January 2006)


Mid-length Short Stories

David Bareford, “Eden’s Bodyguard” (Thuglit, September 2006)
Rex Burns, “Shadow People” (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, June 2006)
Bill Crider, “Cranked” (Damn Near Dead: An Anthology of Geezer Noir)
Robert S. Levinson, “Uncle Blinky’s Corner of the World” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, March/April 2006)
Robert Lopresti, “Shanks on the Prowl” (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, May 2006)

Longer Short Stories

Annette Dashofy, “Signature in Blood” (Mysterical-E, Winter 2006)
Julie Hyzy, “Strictly Business” (These Guns for Hire)
Stuart MacBride, “Daphne MacAndrews and the Smack-Head Junkies” (Damn Near Dead: An Anthology of Geezer Noir)
Larry Sweazy, “See Also Murder” (Amazon Shorts, December 11, 2006)
Steven Torres, “The Valley of Angustias” (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, October 2006)


Members of the SMFS begin voting today to determine the winners, which will be announced May 15, 2007.

Congrats and good luck to all.

Alex Rodriguez comes up big

...blasting a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Yankees trailing the Orioles 7-6.

Much as I've maligned his years in pinstripes, I hope answers all doubters this season.

Crimespree #17

My copy arrived today, featuring my DVD reviews of Bones: Season One and NCIS: Season Two. They've been posted for some time on Jeremy Lynch's Crimespree Cinema, but the magazine will give you the full crime fic geek fix.

"Witness Protection"

...is my poem published this month in Asinine Poetry Journal. Thanks to Richie Narvaez and staff.

Regan, meet Regan.

My friend Regan Bullers, onetime captain of the Hofstra women's volleyball team, current Minnesota high school teacher, is in town this week. Last Saturday we gathered in Queens and Regan met Julie Ricotta, newest daughter of John and Kelly. We played the DVD version of Family Feud and the movie trivia game Scene It, but the most spontaneous fun was had practicing writing in script on Magna-Doodles.

Yesterday we met for lunch at the Houston's on East 53rd. Keeping Lenten observances, I chose the Fresh Fish sandwich with couscous on the side over the House Made Veggie Burger. Regan and John had French Dip sandwiches, and Deshant (a.k.a. Obsidian Xerxes) had a tuna salad. Our server was also named Regan, but she pronounced the first syllable as in "regular."

Now you know what English majors do for fun.

"Rock" On

Zap2it.com reports NBC has picked up 30 Rock for next season. While I've had reservations about the show blurring the line between fiction and fact, it's good to know I'll have time to form a better opinion.

NCIS: "Grace Period"

Taking a weekend hotline shift originally assigned to Gibbs's team, Two members of Special Agent Paula Cassidy's team are killed by an apparent suicide bomber. Cassidy (Jessica Steen) works with Gibbs's team to piece together the planning and purpose of the ambush, all the while feeling survivor's guilt. When the mastermind is discovered, only Cassidy has a chance to stop him from bombing a peace conference.

One of my favorite characters played by one of my favorite actors, Paula Cassidy first appeared in the first season episode "Minimum Security," and she and Tony had an easy chemistry. She later stepped in for a case in the wake of Kate Todd's death, and with this episode her arc comes to an end.

Sure, I wish she hadn't died; I wish Kate hadn't, either; but I have to admit their deaths paid tribute to their lives. That's all I can ask as a fan.

THE FOLLOWER by Jason Starr

I've been a fan of Jason Starr's fiction since reading his stories in various anthologies and his novel Twisted City. Two weeks ago I won an ARC of his latest novel, due in stores August 2007.

The Follower centers on Katie Porter, twenty-two, from Lenox, Mass. determined to prove to herself and her parents she can make it in New York City.

Katie's idea of making it includes finding the right guy for a longterm relationship, and as the novel opens, she thinks she may have found him in Andy Barnett. Complicating things, though, is the sudden appearance of Peter Wells, a familiar face from Lenox. Recalling Peter as a friend of her older sister's, Katie isn't sure how to take his sudden interest in her.

Balancing Peter's, Katie's, and Andy's viewpoints, Starr shows how deeply men and women can misread each other. The principal characters are all believably flawed, and once again Starr eases things expertly from normal to noir.

AP: 'Knight Rider' Trans Am up for sale

DUBLIN, Calif. - KITT, the flame-throwing, river-jumping, talking muscle car from the `80s TV show "Knight Rider," is up for sale. Restored to its debut-season glory, the modified black 1982 Pontiac Trans Am is offered at $149,995 at a Dublin auto dealership. Johnny "Vette" Verhoek of Kassabian Motors has had the car, officially called Knight Industries Two Thousand, on display for about a month.

...Although it cannot achieve the 300 mph speeds that KITT reached, soar 50 feet in the air or throw smoke bombs, key features of the star car are intact. Perhaps most important, the red scanner light on the nose glows and makes a humming noise.

The car has two working video screens on the dashboard, and the cockpit features buttons that light up in green, yellow and red: ski mode, rocket boost, micro jam, silent mode, oil slick and eject.

Most of the buttons don't do anything, Verhoek said. Nor can the car hold a conversation or drive itself.

KITT isn't even street legal because of missing smog equipment and other modifications...

Opening Day in the Bronx

It's opening day at Yankee Stadium and my friends John and Tom Ricotta will be there. I've often wondered why baseball holds a place above other sports in America. One reason may be that it doesn't depend on a clock. An inning takes as long as it takes.

But I think baseball is closest to America's heart because, being less dependent on physical shape and training, almost anyone can pick up a bat, ball, or glove and play.

(Basketball is my favorite sport because shooting baskets doesn't require a teammate or opponent.)

Writing Challenge

S.J. Rozan wants your six-word-stories:

[W]e here at Six Word Story have about a month's worth of top-notch entries left. After that, if we don't get any more sparkling, brilliant, pithy gems, we'll have to shut down. So: forward this to every writer you know! Put it on your blog! Chat about it in chat rooms! And: send those stories in!!!

April Foolish

The editors of Asinine Poetry Journal have accepted three of my poems—"Realizing the wet dream is about you", "Stranded in St. Louis", and "Witness Protection"—for future publication.

Thrilling Detective Turns Nine

On April 1, 1998, Kevin Burton Smith brought The Thrilling Detective Web Site online. I e-mailed him with one typo correction too many and in March 2001 he asked me aboard as assistant to Fiction Editor Victoria Esposito-Shea. In June 2001, I took over as Fiction Editor and the rest is history. Congrats and thanks, Kevin. It's been a thrill.