The Writer's Life 11/17 - Ups & Downs

God Bless America -- Giancarlo Stanton, 25, right-fielder of the Florida Marlins, has signed the richest contract in sports history: 13 years, 325 million. That's about 25 mil per season. Last year he hit .288, had 37 HR's, 105 RBI, and scored 89 runs. I think such contracts are insane, but that's not up to me. It's up to the owners and agents, and the people willing to pony up at the box office. As long as there will be no taxpayer bailout, more power to them.

Coaching at the major college level is a cold, tough business. A friend who played at a mid-level school once overhead an assistant say to another: “He’s dead wood,” referring to an injured athlete who could no longer help them win. Yesterday the University of Florida, winner of three football national championships, fired its head coach, Will Muschamp. He was hired, in part, to clean up the program, which suffered great embarrassment by the miscreants the previous staff recruited. He did that, but he didn’t win enough games, his record 27-20, just 17-15 in the SEC, the toughest conference of all. He will coach the Gators' final two games of the season. He took his dismissal nobly, citing his failure to live up to expectations. I suppose the school will go back to recruiting thugs, as Florida St. has so successfully done.

Since the weather will put the kibosh on the floating book shop for at least two days, I decided to begin what I hope will be my final flush of my rock n roll epic, Rising Star. I proofed the first two chapters, 27 pages, and found three of those ornery errors that escape attention. I also made some minor changes and additions. Since the Rising Star TV show came to my attention, I've considered changing the title, as any internet search for my novel will be swamped by info about the show. Now I'm leaning back the other way. I'm presuming there will be great interest in the book, which has not happened with any of my others. I've also not come up with a catchy alternative. Use of the word "rock" would conflict with the marketing phrase I will put on the cover: Sex, Drugs, Rock n Roll. I have plenty of time to make a decision. I will work on the file only on days the weather confines me to the apartment. If it's not windy Wednesday, the floating book shop will be back in operation under winter hours.

Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/rP7o9

Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp

Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Vic's Blog: http://vicfortezza.blogspot.com/

Vic's Web Site: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/