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Saturday, October 31, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/31 - Unbroken

Louis Zamperini, an Italian-American, achieved a lot in his 97 years. The son of immigrants, he set records in track and field, was a bombardier in WWII, and an evangelist. At Torrance H.S. in California he set the record for the interscholastic mile, 4:21.2. He qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and finished eighth in the 5000 meters in front of Hitler. In 1938 at USC he set the collegiate record for the mile, 4:08. Roger Bannister did not break the four-minute mile until 1954. Zamperini's plane was shot down in the Pacific in 1943. He and a crew member drifted on a raft for 47 days until captured by the Japanese. Another died during the ordeal. Zamperini spent two years in prison camps and suffered horrible abuse. These events are the subject of Angelina’s Jolie’s first film as a director, Unbroken (2014), a solid debut. For some reason critics were not kind to it or her. It is not a great film -- it is too similar to many others -- but it is certainly not one to be ashamed of. I watched it last night, courtesy of Netflix. Its main fault, if it can be called one, is its length, 2:17, but that can be chalked up to the desire to be thorough, faithful to the story. However, the depiction of the atrocities seems like overkill. Jack O'Connell acquits himself well in the lead, another Brit effortlessly playing a Yank. Jolie will probably get more work at the helm if she wants, as the film made money, bringing in $115 million in the U.S. alone on a budget of $65 million. I was surprised to learn the screenplay was done by Joel and Ethan Coen (with two others), as it does not contain any of the quirkiness for which they are famous. Almost 85,000 users at IMDb have rated the film, forging to a consensus of 7.2 of ten. On a scale of five, I rate it three. Zamperini suffered post traumatic stress disorder and was encouraged by his wife to attend a Billy Graham crusade. The message hit home. Born again, he became an evangelist, his main theme forgiveness. He is a subject in two books: the historical novel Flight from Berlin by David John, and the book by Laura Hillenbrand on which the film is based. He was a torch bearer at the L.A. Olympics in 1984 and, at the age of 88, the winter Olympics in 1998 in Nagano, Japan, not far from where he was held captive. He is an inspiration. Here’s a picture:

It's a good thing I brought two David Baldacci thrillers for Jack of Chase because I sold only one other book besides those. My thanks. The highlight of the session was, of course, the constant parade of excited kids in Halloween garb. I hope I don't end up eating the candy I bought this morning at Stop n Shop. Most years hardly anyone comes trick or treating in the building. I suppose they load up at area stores and banks.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Friday, October 30, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/30 - Blowback

Here’s another author I’m embarrassed to say I’d never heard of, especially since his name seems to be Italian, although I was unable to find anything definitive on his ethnic origin. Bill Pronzini is one of the most prolific writers going. Born in California in 1943, he has 35 stand alone novels in print, 44 in his “Nameless” detective series, six in another, 11 under pseudonyms, 19 short story collections, and four works of non-fiction -- and he‘s still at it. He has won many awards, including the prestigious Edgar Grand Master. I just finished Blowback, published in 1977, the fourth installment of the “Nameless” series. The prose and dialogue are first rate, and the story is interesting, not nearly as complicated as the Phillip Marlowe sagas by the great Raymond Chandler. What separates the better mystery novels from the rest is existential angst, and Blowback has it. On the verge of his 50th birthday, “Nameless” has been told he has a growth in a lung. “Benign or malignant?” he wonders throughout the narrative. And he has thoughts such as: “…when you come face to face with your own mortality your beliefs no longer seem so simple and strong and certain.” And: “…Spade and Dalmas (character of Chandler's) and the rest of them are immortal. They’ll go on for centuries shooting hoods and laying blondes and breaking laws with impunity--and was that, Jesus, was that what I had been after all along?” The work is grounded in reality. The PI cooperates with the police, does not antagonize them. Blowback is a satisfying read despite being only 148 pages. The title refers to what happens when the barrel of a rifle is clogged with debris. My only quibble is that the femme fatale is not quite developed enough. Then again, the novel’s aim is realism, not a Hollywood version of it. On a scale of five, I rate Blowback four.

The killjoys are at it again. On the heels of a study that bacon kills comes a report from the Department of Energy that accuses Halloween celebrants of contributing to global warming. Each year Americans buy and discard 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins. As they rot in landfills, they release greenhouse gases. Jimmy Crack candy corn and I don’t care.

I watched a video of Adele’s new single, Hello. What a singer. Here’s a link. There’s a brief ad before it begins. It runs six minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQHsXMglC9A

My thanks to the kind folks who bought and donated wares today, especially Professor Barry Spunt, author of Heroin and Music in New York City, who bought Rising Star, which has both elements of his book.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Thursday, October 29, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/29 - Gambles

George Will devoted his op-ed piece, syndicated in today’s NY Post, to the fantasy sports craze. He claims that government objects to sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings not because they are unregulated and propose a danger to the public but because they poach on lotteries and other government run games. The FBI estimates that last year $2.6 billion was wagered illegally on March Madness. Behind the curve as usual, politicians, who create nothing, will have no choice but to make sports betting legal in all states rather than just the current handful that allow it. It’s a goldmine and the idiots, many of whom support liberal policies such as abortion, medical marijuana and free needles for addicts, are for some reason resistant to it. Gambling will never do the social damage done by alcohol, a legal product.

I just read Jonathan Podhoretz’s recap of last night’s Republican debate. Hats off the Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Chris Christie, who took on the moderators for their biased questions. Donald Trump was unusually quiet. Although Jeb Bush is a good person, I’m glad to see his candidacy tanking further. On his radio talk show this morning on WOR-AM, Mark Simone proposed that one of the Democratic debates be handled by Fox News. Of course, the left would never go for it, as the candidates would have to field hardball rather than softball questions.

Kudos to Nigerian forces, who rescued 338 captives, almost all women and children, from the evil clutches of Boko Haram at forest encampments. They killed 30 of the slimes in the process.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books and donated wares today. There were two highlights to the session. Dave, a cook at a Manhattan hotel, conveyed his worry that a corporation might acquire the company for which he works. He says the restaurant loses money, breaks even at best in good times. This was surprising. I'd always heard that restaurants lose money on food but more than make up for it on drinks. I was shocked to hear that dishwashers make $26 an hour plus benefits. That's only two buck less than Dave, who had to go to cooking school, earns. Later, a petite redhead scanned the books and said she would be back. When she returned she was obviously pissed. She'd gone to a newsstand for a paper and the guy at the window got all huffy, accusing her of reading without intention of buying, when she thumbed through one to see if it had a real estate section. She bought one at another stand and waved it at the first guy as she passed -- and he cursed her! Fortunately, she wasn't steamed enough to pass me without making a purchase.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f


Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/28 - Weird but True

I love entrepreneurs and go-getters. Today’s NY Post’s Weird But True column highlights a guy in Florida who claims that in the past 14 years he has earned $15 million fishing golf balls out of water hazards and selling them to courses and driving ranges for a buck apiece. He estimates that he has recovered about 1.5 million balls. I hope the gangsters at the IRS haven’t heard about it.

There is a trend in TV drama series I find annoying -- extended scenes in almost total darkness. The biggest offender lately has been The Walking Dead, which I’ve been catching up with in syndication on My9 in NYC. Last night back to back episodes from season five were broadcast. The first featured a scene that seemed as long as five minutes in which an occasional sliver was seen and dialogue was heard. Unfortunately, there was no close captioning, so I got almost nothing out of it. The nonsense in the second episode wasn’t as long but still tedious. I’ve always loved film noir, those old black and whites with fascinating lighting. The filmmakers were so skilled that the viewer was able to see in the dark. I understand that the creators of TWD have opted for realism and that electricity is absent for the most part in the world they’ve created, but come on! One of the reasons I gave up on Marvel's Agents of Shield was its arty lighting. Of course, this may also indicate diminished vision on my part.

It's a sad day in college football. Health issues have forced Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill, 54, to resign. He has battled kidney cancer and been dogged by seizures the past few years. He was 29-29 at the helm of the Golden Gophers, 152-99 overall in his five stops at the collegiate level. Good luck, sir.

The floating book shop was rained out today. The forecast calls for clearing tomorrow afternoon. Let it be so. One day on the sidelines is okay, but more leads to wall climbing.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/27 - Potpourri

NFL: The Giants were completely dominated by the Cowboys yet managed to win because of an interception return and kickoff return for a TD. Can this team possibly finish with a winning record let alone make the playoffs?… The Jets made a good showing in New England, but that’s not good enough in pro sports. Will they close the gap when the Patriots come to them?… The Dolphins have been the surprise team the past two weeks, routing their opponents. Was it the coaching change, a good team shaking off a slow start or weak opposition? The perfect test arrives this weekend - the Pats… The Panthers, Falcons, Cardinals and Vikings are all winning, but none of those teams seem like a true contender… New England and Green Bay seem way ahead of the rest of the league. Their greatest opponents are injuries.

In the past two weeks there have been 435 small earthquakes in the San Francisco area, most 2.0-3.0 on the Richter scale, the largest 3.6. No damages or injuries have been reported. Experts say there is no cause for extra alarm or fear of the "big one." The activity is not uncommon and expected to last for a couple of more weeks. (from Yahoo News)

Among a recent batch of a donation was an old book titled Mademoiselle de Maupin by Theophile Gautier. Knowing that Mira, a regular customer, prefers old books, I showed it to her, even though I was embarrassed that I'd never heard of the author. She bought the book and reminded me of it today. I just looked up Gautier at Wiki. He has quite a canon, mostly in plays, poetry and fine arts criticism. Admired by Balzac and Hugo, he wrote only two other novels. The one in question was published in 1833 and is historical, covering the short life of a female opera singer who often posed as a male and was a fine swordsman. It's nice to learn new stuff.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought, donated and swapped books today. The highlight of the session was a comment from a woman to whom I'd sold Rising Star months ago. I'd assume she'd found it lacking and put it aside. She has finally begun reading and "enjoying" it. Yay!
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Monday, October 26, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/26 - Underwear

Here’s an excerpt from a short story, Distinctions, published long ago, that will be part of the collection I plan after New Year’s. It is based on a raucous night on the town I had the privilege of participating in way back in the 80’s. It is at the mid point. A group of ten or so males has just finished dinner at a restaurant, the treat of a company for which one of the commodity traders works. It‘s a very quick read:

   "How much would it take to get you to walk around the restaurant in your underwear?" said Bobby to Phil.
   "I wouldn't do it in here," said Phil, blowing smoke over his head, sitting back, legs crossed, arm around the chair beside him. "Gimme a hundred and I'll do it outside."
   The same $75 was raised. I felt an acute resistance within me. I was sure Phil would do it, and I cringed at the thought of those who would be offended. And I didn't want to see him make a fool of himself, although he was eager to accept the challenge, to prove his superiority to the others, even at the lower rate. As I saw it, he knew he would never match them in wealth, education, or background, so his only recourse was brazenness. None of the others would dare parade about midtown in his underwear, none would ever match him in "sickness." I found it sad, although no malice was intended by anyone except, perhaps, Bobby. I was reminded of a short story wherein an unfaithful wife had her adoring husband masquerade as a fool at a party, where he suffered fatal realization. I doubted the present consequences would be as dire, however.
   We left the place with great anticipation. As soon as we'd gathered outside, Phil began to strip, to the delight of everyone. The temperature was about 50 degrees this April night. Phil stood proudly in his briefs, black dress socks sagging about thin ankles. He held his arms out at his sides, inviting all to behold. "Am I sick or what?" he demanded. Everyone concurred.
   "Look at those socks!" Bobby cried out, beside himself.
   I stood apart, embarrassed yet amused as he accepted congratulatory high-fives. It was a harmless prank. I hoped the public would perceive it as such. Phil handed me his clothes, not trusting any of the others, and set off along 72nd Street, smiling, belly protruding and supported by spindly legs taking long strides. I laughed so hard I collapsed into a squat trying to draw breath, which was difficult on a bloated stomach. My vision blurred at the force of my mirth. Those he passed were amused rather than offended. And he did not go quietly into the good night. He talked up a storm, avoiding, however, eye contact with passersby.
   I lagged, still in a squat. I did not rise until I noted the amused stares of the people seated just beyond the window of the restaurant. I looked away, irked at my self-consciousness, certain it was assumed I was drunk. I slipped into a nook, hiding, intending a practical joke of my own, worried only that a policeman would appear and slap Phil with a summons for indecent exposure. I didn't have the heart to make him wait long, however. He dressed on Lexington Avenue, boasting as he pulled on his pants, assuring everyone he would do it again if the money was right.
   "I'm no fool," he boasted. "I got seventy-five tamatas in my pocket. Go 'head and laugh, douche bags. Who's better than me?"

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books on this gorgeous day. The highlight of the session occurred when Mike, a local super approached, hunk of pipe in hand. He spoke of how disrespectful some youths were and said his mom devised a ploy to get him on the right track when he was young. Unbeknownst to him, she asked her neighbor, a large man who worked at the notorious Spofford Detention Center in the Bronx, to put him up there for three nights. The guy asked if Mike would help him do something and, since the man often helped Mike's mom, he agreed. By the time he realized what was up, he was inside. When the three days were up, his hell-raising was cured. Just as he finished this tale, Mr. Conspiracy, aka Steve, showed up and went on a profanity laced rant that had passersby staring. He blamed meds for all of today's problems with youth. While there was truth in what he was saying, life is never all of anything. There are young men and women who don't take meds who cause a lot of trouble. True to form, Mr. C bought a bio of Che Guevara.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Sunday, October 25, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/25 - Famous

An op-ed piece by Ashley McGuire in Saturday's NY Post praised one of the most popular music artists in the world for her surprising views on sex. A picture of the talented beauty is almost a daily occurrence in the paper. The interview was done for Vanity Fair, and McGuire quotes from it. Here are excerpts, edited by yours truly. See if you can guess who it is. A picture will be below: "The writer questions her bad-girl reputation and asks whether her life is just one big, long, sexy night out on the town. The interviewer wonders: Given that she’s supposed to be so freewheeling, can’t she just have sex for fun? The singer replies: 'If I wanted to I would completely do that. I am going to do what makes me feel happy, what I feel like doing. But that would be empty for me; that to me is a hollow move. I would wake up the next day feeling like s -  -  t. I don’t want to wake up the next day feeling guilty. I mean I get horny, I’m human, I’m a woman, I want to have sex. But what am I going to do — just find the first random cute dude that I think is going to be a great ride for the night and then tomorrow I wake up feeling empty and hollow? He has a great story and I’m like . . . what am I doing? I can’t do it to myself. I cannot. It has a little bit to do with fame and a lot to do with the woman that I am. And that saves me.'"

Another bio of Frank Sinatra, covering his final 44 years, is being issued this week. Diane DeFuria offers highlights in a long article. I won't be reading the book, which is generous with dirt. The best of Ol' Blue Eyes lives on in his music, and that's the only thing that really matters. There is a more important literary work coming out Tuesday: The Early Short Stories of Truman Capote. An article by Reed Tucker tells how they were found among a batch of papers donated to the New York Public Library. It is unlikely any approach his best writing, but any of the unpublished work of such a noted figure should be made available to the public. If it's good, it will add to the legacy. If it's not, it will fade away harmlessly.

For several years David Price has been one of the AL's top regular season pitchers. Like Clayton Kershaw of the NL, something goes wrong in the playoffs. Price's regular season record is 104-56, ERA 3.09 in a DH league, opponents' batting average .233. In the post season he is 2-7, ERA 5.24. Now a free agent, I doubt those woes will hamper his bargaining power.

Here's the young woman whose views on sex are so surprising. Don't know her name? I'm not telling: :
My thanks to the woman who bought a chick lit novel, my only sale today in Park Slope.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Saturday, October 24, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/24 - Duty

RIP Master Sergeant Joshua L. Wheeler, 39. The Oklahoma father of four made the ultimate sacrifice in the war on terror during a rescue mission in Iraq. Words cannot convey the debt Americans owe him.
Earlier in the week NYC Police Officer Randolph Holder, 33, was killed in the line of duty, another good man taken by someone with evil intent.

RIP Maureen O'Hara, 95, a flame-haired Irish beauty who found fame and fortune in the USA. I will always remember her as Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), which channel nine's Million Dollar Movie aired many times in prime time Monday-Friday. She also played Natalie Wood's mom in the classic Miracle on 34th Street (1947), and the love of John Wayne, a frequent co-star, in The Quiet Man (1952). She has 65 credits listed under her name at IMDb.Well done, lass.

Alas, the world does not pause even at the passing of such exemplary figures. My thanks to the gentleman who bought two Russian crime thrillers, to the couple who overpaid for four volumes of The Chronicles of Narnia, despite the fact that four others of the complete set were missing; and to the nurse who purchased several books each in English and Russian, and A Hitch in Twilight for her 58-year-old roommate.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/23 - Decisions

I’m always impressed by authors who write authentically about other eras. Kaye Gibbons’ A Cure for Dreams is set in rural North Carolina from the early days of the Great Depression through WWII. True, she is a native of North Carolina, but she was born in 1960. She either did extensive research or learned from family history, or both. The novel has no plot. It is the first person account of a young woman who prefers the company of her mom and other older women to her peers. The portraits of the area’s inhabitants are so interesting. It is feminism in a sort of infancy. Given the population, pickings are slim and happy marriages rare. This is another work that illustrates how much better people have it today. The writing is smooth for the most part but lost me briefly now and then. Even though quotation marks are shunned, it isn’t hard to separate the dialogue from the prose. The 171 pages breeze by, reading more like 125. A Cure… was Gibbons’ third of eight books, two others of which were chosen for Oprah’s Book Club. Two have been adapted into TV movies, both receiving modest reviews. She has won minor literary awards. Unfortunately, she suffers from bi-polar disorder. Surprisingly, she claimed she was extremely creative during her manic phases. That may have been true once, but she hasn’t published a new work since 2005, as she has battled addiction. She was even arrested for filing a fraudulent prescription. She was fined and sentenced to probation. 25 users at Amazon have rated A Cure…, forging to a consensus of 4.1 of five, which seems about right. I’m completely clueless as to the meaning of the title. My best guess is that reality supplants dreams. Issued in 1991, A Cure… is selling better than any of my books. I hope this talented woman finds her way again.  

A student group at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is cornering the market on farce. An organization called Just Words has banned the use of  “politically correct,” dubbing it “micro-aggression.” Other no-nos are: “lame,” “normal,” “mothering,” and “fathering.”

I have a stock tip. I just received an offer to exchange my 159 shares of GE, a winner for me since I purchased it in the early 90’s, for Synchronicity Financial. The inducement is seven bucks per $100 worth of the stock, about $200 if I understand it correctly. I’m sticking with GE, which pays a dividend, while SF does not. This probably means that SF will rally and GE will remain mired in the rut it’s been in for several years. Don’t say I didn’t tell you.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought, donated and swapped books. The session was highlighted by visits from two dynamite women. Mira, a 29 year-old Ukrainian immigrant mom in her first semester at St. Joseph's College, was beaming. She scored a 95 on her speech on childhood obesity. Kudos, my dear. Later, a beautiful blonde -- I mean Hollywood beautiful -- doubled back and looked into a box of non-fiction. She picked out One Decision: Make the Smart Choice That Will Lead to a Life of More by Judith Wright. She was all business. How I would love to know what that decision might be. Of course, I was thinking porn or not to porn. She'd be a millionaire in no time if she went that way.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/22 - Thirsty

An article went live within the hour at Yahoo News, detailing a raid U.S. Commandos have made in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. According to Phil Stewart and Isabel Coles, dozens of Special Forces soldiers rescued 69 hostages, all of them Arabs. They'd been acting as advisers to Kurdish fighters when they came under attack. One U. S. soldier was killed, the first to die in Iraq since 2011. As many as 20 ISIS were KIA, six were captured.

An article in today’s NY Post by Jason Grant reveals the actor behind “The Most Interesting Man in the World” Dos Equis ads. He is Bronx-born Jonathan Goldsmith, who has 107 credits listed at IMDb, not including multiple appearances on popular shows, such as the 14 he did on Gunsmoke. The character he played in The Shootist (1976) was shot between the eyes by John Wayne. During periods when he was unable to support himself as an actor, Goldsmith worked construction, drove a garbage truck, taught acting and worked in marketing. Of his new found stardom he says: “I’m an overnight success after 40 years.” Kudos, sir.

I’m glad I’ve stayed with Nashville, now in its fourth season. I’m not sure if I’ve changed or if the story lines have just gotten better, but I’m really enjoying the soap opera. The music remains genuine.

What can be said about the Mets other than WOW! Still amazin'.

My thanks to the the kind folks who bought and donated books on this gorgeous indian summer day. The highlight of the session was seeing poor Marie, my most faithful customer, trying to dodge Political Man. She doubled back toward me twice to ask a question but was unable to shake him. She got an earful as she walked to the train station. PM is back on Hillary's bandwagon now that his hope, Jim Webb, has dropped out of the race. Webb is a centrist out of touch with the leftists who have taken over the Democratic party. Stay thirsty, my friends.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/21 - Heroes & Villains

It's a bird -- it's a plane -- it's another Daniel Murphy home run! Kudos, sir.

There are people who go about quietly, heroically. Here is one, mentioned in the Weird But True column in today's NY Post: "Felimina Rotundo works 11 hours a day, six days a week at a Buffalo laundromat and says she has no plans to quit working even though she turned 100 two months ago. She started working at 15 during the Great Depression. She works from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. washing clothes and handling dry cleaning at the College Laundry Shoppe. She says she hasn't considered retirement and will continue working as long as her health is good. Rotundo, who hit the century mark in August, says she likes being out and working because it gives her something to do. She says too many people retire too soon. Her advice to her peers: 'Get out and do some work.' Hail, Felimina!

Those who despise the Clintons are hoping her appearance tomorrow before a congressional committee investigating Benghazi reveals a smoking gun. I think they will be disappointed. True, the powers that be may have screwed up the incident very badly, but it will be hard to prove and I doubt any but the most partisan citizens even care about the issue anymore. There is greater hope in that she may be indicted for the email shenanigans, since General Petraeus was for similar, lesser sins, but I would be surprised if she is. The Clinton history is one of survival even against seemingly steep odds. I'd hate to see her skate on the issue, but I would love seeing her routed in the general, which I believe would happen only if Trump is her opponent. I think she would eke out a victory against the rest of the Republican field.

I earned some money accompanying a friend to the dentist this morning, which took the sting out of a session of no book sales. My thanks to our building's stellar porters, Jeff and Pedro, who hoarded about 60 books from people who have moved away.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
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/

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/20 - Shifts

NFL: I didn’t expect the Giants to win last night. The Eagles have had their number for a few years. But how in the world do you force four turnovers and still lose by 20? I guess it was because the bad Eli showed up. I‘m glad I didn't watch… The Jaguars have had the benefit of top draft picks the past few years and aren’t improving at all… The Bengals have been impressive, but until they get past the first round of the playoffs it will mean nothing. Dalton and company will have the same big psychological hurdle to overcome in December… It’s great to see the Jets succeeding and ex-coach blowhard Rex Ryan floundering in Buffalo. Of course, there’s a long way to go and fortunes may turn… I just spotted the headline of an article touting a Super Bowl of 18-0 teams, Packers vs. Pats. Will  circumstances ever be more favorable to that end?... The Colts debacle in punt formation will go down as one of the strangest plays in NFL history, another example of over-thinking and over-coaching. I wouldn’t say it cost them the game, as the Patriots are certainly capable of executing a long drive, but what the heck were they thinking? How odd that gaffes from punt formation were the big stories in pro and college football last weekend. It’s still hard to believe how Michigan blew its game vs. Michigan St. by fumbling a long snap and allowing the Spartans to run it 30 yards for a TD as time expired. It's easy to visualize how coach Jim Harbaugh’s slumber has been this week. Talk about the agony of defeat!

I have about 25% of the money in one of my retirement accounts sitting in a money market fund, drawing less than one-percent interest. I'm going to look into a new option that has come into being - a sort of robo-investor, which, once the customer has filed out a survey regarding risk tolerance, automatically adjusts the portfolio. I won't do it if it requires the entire portfolio. If it works out, I'll do it with the ten percent I have laying around in another account. I've been gun shy lately, expecting a major stick market correction, not the minor one that has occurred.

My usual book nook was occupied by a Con Ed crew attaching wires to a telephone pole installed during the summer. It doesn't look like they're finished, as two of the doohickeys they fixed to the pole are still wireless. I adjusted by moving further along Av. Z, where Waj's gyro truck is MIA. I hope it's just in for repairs and not out of business. I'd have to look elsewhere for dinner Wednesday nights. My thanks to Jimmy, who bought four works of non-fiction, including Al Gore's, An Inconvenient Truth, which erroneously predicted that the polar ice caps would all be melted by now, and to the gentleman who purchased Kitty Kelley's unauthorized bio of Nancy Reagan.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Monday, October 19, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/19 - Bandit

My favorite novels are those that examine life. Among a recent batch of a donation to the floating book shop was one such, A Season in the Life of Emmanuel by Marie-Claire Blais, a French Canadian, translated from her native tongue. The titular character has just been born into a poor farming family in rural Quebec, pre-electricity, the 16th child. The narrative begins from his point of view, then shifts constantly among several family members, mostly between the maternal grandmother, the family's rock, and a sickly adolescent male who is driven to write. The father is brutal and scoffs at education, the mother overwhelmed. The grandmother is tough love personified. She says to the infant: "Ah, my child, no one is listening to you, there is no use in crying. You will soon learn that you are alone in this world." Published in 1965, the novel describes the harsh conditions of the region, where winters are long and death is a constant even among the young. Of course, such a large brood will have diverse personalities. The most interesting are the aforementioned writer, his larcenous younger brother, and an older sister who embraces suffering. Given the year of publication, there may have been restrictions on how descriptive the author could be regarding sexual content. I suspected the brothers were buggering, in part to ward off the cold of night, but wasn't sure until I read the Afterword by Nicole Brossard. When reading such a work I can't help but thinking how lucky we are to be living in the modern western world. We may question what life is about, but we do it with the advantages of creature comforts that take a lot of the sting of the great mystery out of it. We can escape into simple pleasures or vices. Given the misery the characters of the book suffer, they must have constantly been thinking "What the hell is this?" or in modern parlance: "WTF!" Yet the young writer, despite infirmity and his unforgiving social and physical environment, carries on cheerfully, indomitable. This can be seen today also, of course, that fascinating contrast of the positive persona of one of meager or modest means vs. the miserable one of someone blessed with wealth and good health. Blais, 76, has written more than 20 novels and won ten minor literary awards. ...Emmanuel was her third. Although it is by no means an easy read, it is well worth the journey through its 123 pages of tiny print, its leaps between stark realism and flights of fancy. There is no plot. It is a portrait done by a skilled artist. To my surprise, there was a French film adaption in 1973. It is held in low regard. There have been two other Canadian adaptations of her work, both in French.  

Given their wealth of young talent, I thought the Cubs would dominate MLB for several years. Maybe it's the Mets who will.

It is rare, perhaps a once or twice a year occurrence, when I make out like a bandit running the floating book shop. Today on Bay Parkway I immediately sold a book in Russian, and John Grisham's The Brethren to Jack of Chase. For more than an hour it looked like that would be it in terms of sales. Steve, aka Conspiracy Guy, donated a handsome pictorial on guitars and an instructional VHS from the phenomenal Eric Johnson. He says he's been playing for 50 years and considers himself "world class." I wasn't surprised when both sold a while later, but I was surprised that a middle age Asian man and not a young man bought them. A young Asian woman then purchased works of non-fiction on women under Mao and a bio of Katharine Graham, who at one time ran the Washington Post, which was purchased by her father, and who rubbed shoulders with celebrities of all walks of life. Then Katerina came along. She'd bought Killing a while ago and struggled with it, as her first language is Russian. Despite that, she was gracious enough to buy A Hitch in Twilight. Right behind her came a middle age couple who carefully looked at my display. The male noted my name and said: "That's my friend I was tellin' you about." I asked how he knew me. He raised his head and I stared into his face and realized it was Phil, a friend from the Exchange I'd written about in a short story, Distinctions, about a raucous night on the town. We hugged and patted each other on the back and chatted for a bit. Since they had an errand to run, they left for a while. Meanwhile, Mike, a local super, handed me a banana. When Phil returned he brought me a cup of coffee and a Danish, and he bought Killing, Close to the Edge and Rising Star. We reminisced about his firing. He was going through a divorce at the time, mad at the world, and he and a young member of our staff tried to steal a broker's briefcase, which contained about $1000, during the gold market's close, which was usually hectic. He spent a harrowing night in a holding cell filled with hardened criminals. He asked me for bail money, $300 if I remember correctly, which his sister, Cetta, the woman with him today, picked up. I encouraged him to join Facebook. My thanks, my friend, and to the other kind folks who made this a great day. I was so lucky I even scored a good parking spot to set the next three days of operation. Sometimes you just get lucky.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Sunday, October 18, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/18 - Small

In an op-ed piece in today's NY Post, Michael Walsh proposes that there may be a plot underway to derail Trump's candidacy, as evidenced by the questions of two citizens at recent appearances. One works for the Bush campaign, the other vanished without a trace, the press unable to track him down. Here's an excerpt from the article: "So the GOP is now facing its worst nightmare: What if Trump is for real? That behind all the bluster, beneath the weird hair, is a guy who just might be able to clean out the Augean stables of the Permanent Bipartisan Fusion Party that continues to cling to power in Washington. The Democrats — with their eminently indictable presumptive nominee, Hillary Clinton — don’t like the idea of fundamental change any better than the Republicans. They prefer GOP opponents who don’t fight back, lose gracefully, and keep their seats at the national trough." Fine work, sir.

Kyle Smith offered another defense of capitalism in his piece about the bogus income inequality issue. He cited two interesting stats: 42% of the world's millionaires are American, proving that the U.S. is still the land of opportunity; and six of the top ten richest counties in the U.S. are suburbs of Washington D.C., which illustrates that many citizens are feasting at the government trough.

My buddy Bags alerted me to the addition of a new channel on Cablevision, MeTV, 33, which offers nostalgia programming. Its roster seems to be much more diverse than AntennaTV and CoziTV.  It's a great option for surfers like me, who spend many evenings sampling a few minutes at various stations. It may also come in handy when a show one is watching is in commercial.

Bundle up, Mets fans. The blustery conditions made it feel like winter this afternoon. The five layers I was wearing weren't enough. I should've worn my heaviest jacket. Fortunately, my car was right beside my books display, so I was able to sit in it while I waited for customers to approach. My thanks to the middle age woman who bought Sue Grafton's P Is for Peril. She must have seen me before, as she asked if I write. She does too, technical books geared toward businesses. When I asked if she was making any money, she made like Robert DeNiro in Goodfellas, holding up a hand, a tiny space between her thumb and index finger. Instead of saying "little bit," she said "very small." I know the feeling well. Good luck, madam.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Saturday, October 17, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/17 - Thoughtful

J.C. Chandor was at the helm of one of the best films on the business world I've ever seen, Margin Call (2011). It was a quiet, humanized look at players trying to save a huge company in the early days of the recent financial crisis. It did not demonize corporate types, as Hollywood yahoos usually do. Last night I had the privilege of viewing Chandor’s A Most Violent Year (2014), courtesy of Netflix. It is as quiet and down to earth as a “gangster” flick will ever get. It is set in NYC in 1981, one of its most violent years. The opening scene follows the protagonist jogging through urban blight while Marvin Gaye’s magnificent Inner City Blues plays on the soundtrack. This is the story of the honorable executive of an oil delivery company trying to remain moral in the face of the dark forces hijacking his trucks. Will he cave to the predatory instincts of a gangster, turning to his wife’s father, a don, for help, or will he continue to fight through the more benign predatory ways of a capitalist? I am an advocate of free market capitalism. Capitalism, especially at its highest levels, is about competition, outdoing rivals, and it's not for the faint of heart. Those who do it honorably, who assume great financial risk, are heroes who create personal wealth that trickles down to the rest of us in jobs, salary and benefits. It is not perfect because man is not perfect, but it is the best system ever created precisely because it demands the best from its practitioners. Of course, all have probably bent the rules at one time. Even those at the bottom of the economic scale have, albeit it in small ways. Oscar Isaac, a Guatemalan, stars as the soft-spoken Latino who has worked his way up from the street to success. The ubiquitous Jessica Chastain plays his spouse, a hardcore realist. Elyes Gabel, the star of TV’s Scorpion, plays a driver with the same dreams as his boss. Albert Brooks plays an unscrupulous sleaze, a part he has mastered late in life, one far removed from his days in stand-up comedy. 35,000+ users at IMDb have rated the film, forging to a consensus of 7.1 of ten. On a scale of five, I rate it four. Don’t be fooled by the title. There is very little gun play in its two-hour running time. It is talky. It failed completely at the box office, which I hope doesn’t harm Chandor’s career, as he makes thoughtful, realistic work that is a refreshing break from most movies. Anyone expecting the usual bloodletting will be very disappointed.

My thanks to Albert, who pulled up to the Chase bank on a white scooter and bought A Hitch in Twilight, and to the woman who bought the children's pictorial on dinosaurs, and the one who bought two books in Russian.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Friday, October 16, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/16 - Ex-Con

I’m not angry that the President has reneged on his promise to pull all troops out of Afghanistan. I’m hoping he has learned his lesson from the disastrous pullout from Iraq, which contributed to the rise of ISIS. I just hope the remaining force is adequate to repel major attacks.

It’s great to see Daniel Murphy emerge as a hero for the Mets, for whom he has played all seven of his seasons in MLB. He has always been a good hitter and weak fielder, the latter of which frustrated many fans and the know-it-alls in the press. He has also been a good guy, which means so much to me in this age of show-offs and lawbreakers. Will Cub fans have their hearts broken as they did in 1969? I’m not at all surprised the Mets beat the Dodgers. I will be surprised if they beat the Cubs, although it is a big plus that Jake Arrieta is not starting Game One. Unless he pulls what Orel Hershiser did for the Dodgers in 1988, he’ll start only twice if the series goes seven. That would be a big plus for the Amazin's.

On the lighter side of sports, Hondo weighed in with his droll NFL picks, as he does each Friday in the NY Post. His comment on each matchup eschews analysis entirely for pot shots at celebrities and politicians. This week he received this gem of an email from a fan: “The only other Bernie besides Sanders whose goal was to take as much money as possible out of the pockets of those who earned it fairly is named Madoff.” Kudos, sir.

There wasn't much action today at the floating book shop today. My thanks to the four people who made purchases. The most surprising was from a burly guy, a fellow resident of the Atlantic Towers co-op. When I first moved in way back in 1988, he seemed to want to provoke me into an altercation -- several times. I had no idea why until a winter day when I found the word "Gay" written in the snow clinging to the roof of my car. I believe he was also responsible for several broken windows through the years. A friend told me he is the adopted son of Russian immigrants. He's been imprisoned at least twice for dealing drugs. He's been out of jail at least a year. I hope he's found the right path, which isn't easy for any ex-con, especially one in his mid 40's. He was on the phone while looking at my display. He asked the caller: "Are you high?" and said the word "program" several times. I wonder if he was talking to the black woman always in his company. Before his last incarceration, he lived with another. The book he bought, Knightmare on Wall Street: The Rise and Fall of Knight Capital and the Biggest Risk for Financial Markets by Edgar Perez, seemed an odd choice. I wonder if he was merely doing penance. If so, he has about 100 books to buy before we're even.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Thursday, October 15, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/15 - Messages

Vivid dreams have been few and far between for me lately following a period when they were constant. I had one last night. It reminded me of the lush technicolor flicks of the 50’s and 60’s. I was at a luxury hotel for an awards ceremony. The day before I’d been gifted a dazzling sports car. When I went out the next morning it was gone, stolen, the third time I’d had one pilfered. Later, my dress shoes were missing, which prevented me from attending the gala. Obviously, I was a lot more successful in this dream world than I’ve been in real life. I don’t recall any of my dreams ever having demonstrated such ego. As far as interpretation goes, following Freud’s theory that dreams are wish fulfillment, that is obvious -- the desire to succeed. Even the aspect of the shoes is easily interpreted. I’ve had the same pair for ages, wearing them only to weddings and funerals. The heels are significantly worn. The coded message is clear: Get a new pair, cheapskate!

I am not surprised to hear that Playboy magazine will cease to publish pictures of beautiful naked women. Neither of the two items I’ve read about it have speculated on what I believe is the reason behind it. Internet porn has made such photos almost irrelevant. Hugh Hefner’s vision of a sexually liberated America has come true, at least for, I’d guess, at least 50% of the population. The centerfolds incited fantasy. Porn displays similar pictures of beautiful women and a whole lot more. It's free and may be accessed easily in the privacy of one's home. My old buddy Billy, may he rest in peace, had a subscription to Playboy for decades. As teenagers our group would go to the vacant lot across Bath Avenue and drool over the models. I was designated reader of the cartoon jokes. Our society has changed dramatically since then.

My thanks to Christine, who is of Sicilian heritage and who bought Killing today. Thanks also to the other kind folks who made purchases. I was relieved and surprised when Political Man stopped and greeted me. I suspected he would hold a grudge after Dave and I lit into him pretty good yesterday. He is doing battle with the Russian immigrants who dominate the board of his co-op, using bulletin boards to pin messages that are quickly torn down. He retaliates by tearing down those written in Cyrillic. I wouldn't be surprised to see him with black eyes soon.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Writer's Life 10/14 - Argument

I've mentioned Political Man many times in this blog. He's 69 and an ardent leftist. As he is walking the streets he approaches passersby and begins his spiel, excoriating Republicans, lauding Democrats. He spends $500 a month on marijuana. He is ecstatic about gay marriage approval but won't marry his boyfriend because they would have to declare income that would be taxed heavily. I usually let him rant without comment, although there have been times I wanted to strangle him. I suspect he bad mouths me for my anti-abortion views as I hear him bad mouth others, especially Russian immigrants, about their views. Before last night's Democratic debate, he was touting Jim Webb as a sleeper who would vault into public approval. That didn't happen. He must be really worried that the Democrats will lose the presidency, and that Republicans will be in complete charge. In an op-ed piece in today's NY Post, conservative pundit Jonathan Podhoretz said, based on her performance last night, Hillary has sewn up the nomination, especially since Bernie Sanders demanded that everyone move on from the email scandal. Anyway, Dave, a chef in a Manhattan hotel, stopped by and commented how dismayed he was at all the Democratic candidates promising even more free stuff. PM showed up and the two of them went at it pretty good. To my regret, I jumped in when PM said NY was doing fine. The city is, the rest of the state is in the crapper. PM insisted he knows more about the issues than anyone, since his IQ is 149. He called Dave, who hopes Trump is the Republican nominee, stupid. Dave is an independent, a union guy who usually votes Democrat. When it comes to government largess, like me, he wonders "How much is enough?" Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drug coverage. corporate bailouts, heating subsidies, housing subsidies, homeless shelters, free meals, free needles, free cell phones and now, the coup de gras, all that for illegal aliens too. I don't blame him for being fed up. He's in his 40's and will be in the work force for many more years, supporting freeloaders. On his way back from the store, he apologized to me. There was no need. He's a good person. I don't know that I can say that about PM.

I also had a visit from Ol' Smoky today, who leavened the mood. He parked his butt on the ledge of the garden that surrounds the building where I set up shop and rambled for about an hour, at one point saying his sister didn't know if she wanted to be a nun or a whore, which he pronounced in the old Brooklyn way "Who-er." He also said that every time he has meatballs and spaghetti he imagines he's eating the planets. Bless his addled brain and heart.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought and donated books.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic'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://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f