Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/30 - Half Way

There is a fascinating op-ed piece in today’s NY Post by Kyle Smith: Man of Kneel, commentary on Men on Strike, a book by former feminist Helen Smith, which warns of the rate at which males are going into a sort of isolation. An all-time low of 70% of men are currently working. The author describes many as “Uncle Tims” - “male feminist lapdogs eager to curry favor with their female and feminist masters.” I remember thinking similarly, although not nearly as elegantly, of a member of the band Radiohead, who was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with dogma while performing on The Tonight Show.

I know I shouldn’t get a gleeful kick out of green initiatives that fail, but I do. The MTA has been replacing the hybrid engines of city buses with diesel engines. So far 23% have been converted. Curiously, they are running in the outer boroughs, where there are sometimes long stretches between stops, which have proven more damaging to the hybrids. The frequent stops in Manhattan have preserved them. Of course, the union opposes the change, citing danger to public health in the form of greater emissions. Management claims the post-2007 diesels are less toxic to the environment. I suspect the union is more worried about the loss of man hours, overtime, that goes into repairs. The MTA hasn’t bought a hybrid in three years. Each costs $700,000+, while the diesels are $500,000 and are less expensive to repair. And it seems to me that the air in the city is cleaner than it has ever been in my lifetime. Environmentalists did a great job, but their work is done in this regard. Life expectancy is about 80, yet the paranoiacs insist pollution is as hazardous as it was decades ago, and I just don’t see it.

Last night Antenna TV, 114 on Cablevision, ran a triple feature of black and white films: Dead Reckoning (1947), starring Humphrey Bogart and Lizabeth Scott; the vastly underrated In a Lonely Place (1950), starring Bogie, as good a performance as he ever gave, and Gloria Grahame; and The Big Heat (1953), starring Glenn Ford, Grahame, and Lee Marvin, which the station had rated, laughably, at two stars, but which is now regarded as one of the top noir classics, rated 8.3 of ten at IMDb. …Lonely Place is rated 8.0, …Reckoning 7.1. Thank you, ATV. Here is a quote from Grahame, one of Hollywood's all-time great femme fatales: “There's always a race against time. I don't think for one moment that life gets better. How can it? One's body starts to fall apart.” She died of cancer at 57.

No luck selling books on the street today. At the half way point of 2013, I've sold 28 of my own books, not counting those that have sold on the web, the exact amount of which I will not know until I receive royalty checks from the publishers.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/29 - Rankings

I check my rankings at Amazon every Saturday morning. It looks like the individual pages have been reformatted, at least regarding books in print. Rankings have either been eliminated or have yet to be included. Although the ranking can be embarrassing, given that nine million books are listed, it was the only way to tell if a copy had sold. Although I trust my publishers to do the right thing in terms of royalties, I wouldn’t be surprised if some writers never see a check because of this. I wonder if Amazon has done it because a pathetic ranking might deter a customer from buying a book that is out of the mainstream. So far, the Kindle rankings remain, but I suspect they too will be eliminated. I was pleased to find that at least one person bought the short story, The Bat, I had published on Kindle through All Things That Matter Press. My thanks.

Well, I got summoned. I will be on jury duty 7/29.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have not had a winning season since 1992, when they won the NL East. They currently have the best record in baseball, 49-30. The past two seasons they seemed assured of breaking that long losing streak only to suffer a late season collapse. They couldn’t blow it again, could they?

I had an interesting, at least to me, dream last night. I was selling the NY Post, laid out the copies and walked away. When I returned people told me that my money had been blown away by the wind. I found a few bills but wound up operating at a loss. I suppose the dream was illustrating the insanity of the floating book shop, although I at least make a small profit with it and occasionally sell one of my own books. Today's session tended toward the insane side. Hardly anyone visited. My thanks to the woman who purchased three thrillers.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/28 - Ecce Homo

All Hallows has received its first customer review at Amazon.

4.0 out of 5 stars The suspense starts on the first page. June 18, 2013

By Nadine Evans

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

It's a fast moving story that kept me wanting to turn the page from the very beginning. I would recommend this to anyone who likes reading screenplays. 

Thank you, madam.

 

How sad is it that rich, accomplished young men like Aaron Hernandez of the New England Patriots, like rappers, react violently to the world around them? They are in a position to laugh at their critics, at anyone and everyone. They have it made and throw it away. Such is man, I guess - at least some men. He should hire Ray Lewis' defense team. Lewis, a future Hall of Fame linebacker, was implicated in the stabbing death of two men in 2000. Blood was found in his limo. The white suit he was wearing has never been recovered. Lewis testified against his two alleged accomplices, who were acquitted. He was found guilty of misdemeanor obstruction charges, but had his one-year sentence suspended. He was sued by the families of the dead and reached undisclosed settlements with each. He continued to be revered by his Baltimore Ravens' teammates and their fans. He won his second Super Bowl ring this past season and has now been hired as a commentator.

 

For the second straight day the predicted rain did not occur and the floating book shop prospered. Non-fiction is king. Of the 20 books I sold, only two were novels, despite the presence of a myriad of best-selling thrillers. Ol' Smokey's donation has proven to be a big hit. Thanks again, sir, and to all the buyers, and to Marie, who donated books by Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clarke, James Patterson and William Peter Blatty.

 
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/27 - Atlas

Last night I watched part two of Atlas Shrugged (2012), based on Ayn Rand’s influential novel about free market capitalism and government regulation. It tanked at the box office, so there may not be a finale. Whether the viewer will enjoy such a work probably depends on political affiliation. Rand’s views are loathed by the left and championed by libertarians. I fall amongst the latter. When I did a web profile it concluded I was a libertarian who leaned way right. The second installment was entirely recast, and most of the faces would be familiar to fans of TV and the movies. It was directed by John Putch, the son of Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker). I enjoyed it, with reservations. It is more science fiction than philosophical argument, although the latter occurs throughout the 1:40 minute running time. Given that the price of gasoline is more than $40 a gallon, I would have expected even more chaos than was depicted, although demonstrators, both sides, are seen frequently and everywhere. The America of the film still looks largely clean and beautiful. The plot is centered around a new energy device that is not only more effective than anything ever created but which offers a cleanliness environmentalists would embrace. Since nothing like it exists or is even on the distant horizon, it is irrelevant to the arguments occurring at present. The other day President Obama threatened new restrictions on coal and dubbed critics of green energy - and global warming skeptics - "The Flat Earth Society." In an op-ed piece in today’s NY Post, Michael Walsh refutes what he dubs “The Phantom Menace” of the carbon emissions that supposedly contribute to global warming. He even supports his argument with a quote from one of Obama’s biggest backers:  “…scientists who once proclaimed environmental Armageddon with absolute certainty (the science was 'settled') now can’t match their doomsday models to what’s happening — which is basically nothing. 'The practitioners of climate science would like to understand exactly what is going on,' wrote The New York Times this month. 'They admit that they do not.' Yet the President would threaten the fragile economy with stricter regulations. Hopefully, it’s merely bluster to appease his base and deflect attention from the scandals that have engulfed his administration. I hate being pessimistic about America’s future. Its demise has been predicted several times only to see it come roaring back. I pray this will be the case again, but the percentage of those who want government intervention in many aspects of our lives is approaching 50%. That reeks of decay. Can that be reversed? The many conservative voices of talk radio seem to be failing to stem that tide.

I love it when the weather forecast is wrong. Although the humidity was thick, not a drop of rain fell during today's session of the floating book shop. Ol' Smokey showed up with a fishing rod and reel, which looked brand new. He left it with me while he went for refreshments. Sure enough, a gentleman bought it at the asking price of $20. It seems a good deal. The rod is a Shakespeare, a top flight brand. The reel is a Cruiser, with which I am unfamiliar, but seems to be in proper working order. When Smokey returned, munching on potato chips, he was rather subdued. He thanked me and continued on his way. My thanks to Michael, who donated another four novels in Russian, three of which sold, and all the other buyers, most of whom bought books Smokey donated.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/26 - Ford

Last night PBS in NYC ran another fascinating documentary, part of its American Experience series. The subject was Henry Ford, who changed the world, made the lives of average Americans significantly better. He portrayed himself as having risen from humble beginnings, which wasn’t really true. His parents were successful farmers. He hated farming and, demonstrating a gift for tinkering, was provided a work area in his home. His father did not provide money when he ventured out on his own. He needed creditors, whom he would hate all his life. After several failures, he came up with a serviceable automobile and was on his way to fame and fortune. The later Model T was the standard in its day. He created the assembly line that enabled mass production, which made the cars affordable to many. When the tediousness of the work caused high turnover in staff, he raised pay from two to five dollars a day, unheard of at the time. He was excoriated by businessmen, but was proved right. The most surprising aspect of the piece was his lack of education. He had no clue as to America’s great history, and was lampooned by elites, but he had a genius for innovation and organization, which proves, as it has been so often, that academics are not imperative for accomplishment in this great land. He had faults, as everyone does, the most unforgivable being antisemitism. He believed Jews were engaged in a secret plot to rule the world. He published the infamous The Elders of Zion in English, fiction which the tzars created as a scapegoat for Russia’s problems. In his historical novel, The White Bridge, my friend Robert Rubenstein has Ford and other famous scions of industry doing or trying to do business with the Nazis. If this was true regarding Ford, it is not mentioned in the film. He fought hard against unionization, his security staff often doling out beatings. He eventually caved to the demands. His only other choice would have been to go out of business. The most disappointing part, actually an omission, of the otherwise even-handed biography, is its failure to mention how the unions eventually damaged the auto industry, which vindicates Ford’s resistance, at least all but the violent aspects. Of course, GM’s management was as much to blame for its woes as the UAW. It was weak and overconfident, failing to anticipate the competitive gains Japan, and later Korea, would make in auto manufacturing. If there is a great beyond, I’m sure Ford is proud his company survived without a government bailout, unlike GM, which cost taxpayers billions. The piece suggests Ford mistreated his son, Edsel, whom he allowed to run the company. Their personalities were very different. The father neither smoked nor drank, exercised regularly, and did not trust the rich men his son counted as friends. Edsel died at 49 of stomach cancer, perhaps caused by excess. Upon his death, 100,000 people passed the coffin of Henry Ford in tribute. Only a handful of men and women have had a positive impact on the entire world. He was one of them, despite his flaws.

Since the Super Bowl, 27 NFL players have been arrested.

It was all good today for the floating book shop after a two-day hiatus. The rain held off and plenty of buyers showed. Michael donated six novels in Russian, several translations of the work of Dan Brown, and they all sold. Ol' Smokey brought the last of his books, two large bags of non-fiction, and I more than made up for the small loan I provided him. I was surprised I was able to get the trunk of my car closed. Thanks, folks.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling my Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/25 - Dome

My sister, 83, 20 years older than me, broke her hip. The doctor said it was the least severe break possible. She had a couple of screws installed yesterday and the operation seems to have gone well. She will soon be transferred to a rehab center, hopefully the one within walking distance of our old house. She seems to be in good spirits. We all want to live forever, but old age is no picnic.

Yesterday, for the second week in a row, our home field golf course was hosting an outing, and Cuz and I had to go elsewhere to play. Last year, that happened only once. Is the economy finally getting better?

As a conservative, I believe Obama a terrible President. Still, I wish his critics would offer more information whenever citing his lavish vacations. The charges of extravagance are meaningless unless compared to what other presidents and their families did. If the figures prove that the Obamas' jaunts are unusually excessive, by all means bash away. Otherwise shut up.

I was so eager to watch the premier of Stephen King’s Under the Dome last night that I completely forgot about the Stanley Cup finals. Although I missed a fantastic finish, the Blackhawks ripping the hearts out of the Bruins and their diehards, I enjoyed the show and look forward to the next episode. I recognized only two faces in the cast: Jeff Fahey, who has 132 credits listed at IMDb, including appearances as a regular on The Marshall and Lost; and Dean Norris, who was the valedictorian of his high school graduating class, and who has 145 credits. There names may not be familiar, but their faces will be. Here are pics:

I accompanied my friend to the doctor and lunch, took care of some chores, and visited my sister in the hospital, leaving me no time for the floating book shop. After two days on the shelf, I'm eager to get back to work, despite the heat.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/23 - Carnivore

There is a great article in today’s NY Post: Army of One by Gary Buiso. It profiles a man who makes most males seem very small. Sgt. Dillard Johnson served two tours in Iraq and amassed 2746 confirmed kills, believed to be the highest total ever, although it is possible others had more in previous conflicts when records were not fastidiously kept. In his memoir Carnivore, the nickname of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle he operated during his first tour, he details how he blew away truckloads of enemy soldiers with artillery shells. He served as a sniper during his second tours, using skills he learned while hunting in Kentucky, amassing 121 kills, one from 821 yards! He was awarded 37 medals, including a Silver Star and Purple Heart. 48, he is currently battling stage three Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which he believes he contracted from uranium leaks in the shells. He has no bitterness about that, as he would not have survived a fierce battle without them. He helped stave off 44 tanks and 1000 troop trucks, potentially 20,000 men - in a sand storm. He now lives in Daytona Beach, Florida, with his wife and four kids, and works as a consultant for an ammunition company, for which he seems eminently qualified. Thank you, sir. Unfortunately, his great work may have been in vain, as Iraq seems on the verge of chaos. Without the presence of U.S. troops as a deterrent, bombings have increased, 2000 dead since April. This hasn’t been a surprise. It was predicted by experts and pundits after the U.S. pullout. I’m not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, Iraqis eventually have to stand on their own. On the other, we kept troops in Germany and South Korea for decades. The Arab Spring shows signs of becoming a bleak winter. Despite vast oil wealth, the region has failed to halt a decline that began centuries ago. I don’t know what else America can do to help.

It was a quiet day at the floating book shop. I put only a tiny dent in yesterday's massive donation from my friend Richie. My thanks to the lovely woman who bought three hardcover mysteries and to the mother and daughter who purchased three more educational books.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/22 - Martini

Whenever an Italian-American author makes a big splash, I’m interested in sampling one of his books. Steve Martini, who grew up in the San Francisco area, has cracked the NY Times Best Sellers list several times with legal thrillers. Two of his novels, Undue Influence and The Judge, have been adapted as TV mini-series. He began his career as a journalist. He attended law school at night and eventually practiced in both the public and private sectors. In the mid 80’s he gave writing a shot and found immediate success. 12 of his 15 novels feature Paul Madriani as the main character. I just finished The Jury, published in 2001. It has an authentic tone. The prose and dialogue are solid. I thought the story ordinary until the resolution, which was sound, plausible and sad. I kicked myself for not realizing, sooner, who the perpetrator was. The story is grounded in realism. Nothing outlandish occurs. I enjoyed it much more than the John Grisham novel, The Appeal, I sampled. My hunch is that The Jury would appeal more to fans of the genre than to the general reading public, which is the case with almost every type of book. Rarely does one have almost universal appeal. The title is odd, as the jury has little to do with the events. Maybe I missed something. On a scale of five, three. As far as legal fiction goes, the most entertaining for me is the original Law & Order TV series. Watching repeats on Channel 9 on Saturday and Sunday night at ten, I’m still impressed by what the cast and crew accomplished in less than 50 minutes. It was as intelligent as a TV show ever gets.

I guess Paula Dean doesn't know that use of the N word is exclusive to rappers and screenwriters. These days I hear teenage white girls use it casually on the street. I suspect her apology was insincere and self serving, an effort to save her career, but she seems the target of an intolerance her detractors denounce. People have been forgiven for behavior a lot worse.

I always enjoy Bad News Billy's visits to the floating book shop. He is a kind soul taken advantage of by friends and family. His troubled grand daughter got all dressed up for her eighth grade graduation, and went into panic mode as the car pulled up to the school. She screamed and cried as Damian did when faced with going into a church in The Omen. She had to be taken home. She lives with her grandfather, whose wife left him. Her mother isn't married. She is grossly overweight. She needs a lot of help.

My thanks to Billy, who bought eight VHS tapes, and Jack, who purchased two thrillers, the teenage female who bought the remaining six of the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse series, on which the cable show True Blood is based, and Richie, one of my former charges during my coaching days, who donated about 100 hard cover best sellers. The trunk of my car is full. I had to put the least marketable of my non-fiction wares on the back seat.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/21 - Watched

Each episode of the CBS action series Person of Interest begins with a voice-over by co-star Michael Emerson describing the surveillance machine he invented. “You are being watched,” are the first words out of his mouth. How relevant is that in light of the current NSA controversy about phone logs and emails? I’ve described the premise of the show as outlandish, not in the possibility of the device’s wide net, but in its ability to predict an ordinary citizen’s imminent danger, which the heroes strive to prevent. Is Big Brother watching us? From the posts of some of my Facebook friends, it seems several believe we are being run by a totalitarian coalition of government and corporations. I don’t buy it. I don’t feel any less free than I did yesterday, last week, month, year or decade ago. Of course, I’m not talking about the freedom philosophers discuss about whether man is free at all. That argument has always been with us. I mean day to day life, and that has not changed for me at all in this vein. Maybe I’m naïve and fail to see that this is just the beginning of totalitarianism in America, but people, especially celebrities, have always and continue to get away with a lot of outrageous speech and behavior. No agent has contacted me about the penultimate chapter of Killing. Then again, the novel is probably too far under the radar to be known to anyone in government, and common sense dictates that it is but the only potentially subversive incident with national rather than personal implications in my five books and more than 50 short stories. Check that: my short story Triple Witching Hour involves a plot to topple Wall Street and the national economy, but that is sheer entertainment and the businessmen are portrayed positively and their opponents as evil. If anyone is watching me, he/she must be bored to death. Maybe the complaints are inspired by nothing more than the massive ego of citizens who believe they are important enough to be under surveillance. Are there so many people with something to hide? Are there things about me I want kept secret? Of course, but they are minor, of interest only to those with a fascination for the human condition. I doubt government hacks are interested in any of that. We are not the Soviet Union.

The weather the past three days has been perfect for any outdoor activity, including book-selling. Each day a jolly, middle-age Russian gentleman greets me on his 40-minute walk to Manhattan Beach and back, and reports on "the mamacitas in their bikinis." He must think I'm Hispanic. Ol' Smokey stopped by for about an hour. Now there's a guy who believes he's being watched. He hit on a million topics including his belief that the World Trade Center bombing was an inside job. Anyway.... My thanks to Stephen, who put on the breaks when he saw the cover of Killing, the 18th Av. street sign. He once lived in that area. He had me sign the book to his love, Bernadette. Every time I hear that name it conjures Levi McCall of the Four Tops belting it out: "People are searchin' for the kind of love we possess..." My thanks also to Mrs. Eclectic, who bought books for the second time this week, and to the gentleman who purchased a compilation of the writings of psychologist Carl Jung and the nauseating An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore, who should be at the top of the list of those to be watched.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/20 - Three

Several years ago I had fun writing a story, Threes, based on the myth of celebrities dying in that number. It isn’t fun when it happens in real life, especially to the relatively young, especially when life expectancy now approaches 80. Yesterday novelist Vince Flynn, only 47, passed away from prostate cancer. The news is equally brutal today. James Gandolfini, 51, who made a lasting impact as crime boss Tony Soprano, succumbed to a heart attack while vacationing in Italy. From all reports he was the exact opposite of the character he portrayed, greatly loved by his peers. I pay tribute with two quotes attributed to him, which I found at IMDb: “Like I always say, I’m standing on my parents shoulders. They allowed me to do this silly job.” And in one that is surprising from so successful an artist: “I’m a neurotic mess. I’m really basically a 260 pound Woody Allen.” The third man to leave us, Dave Jennings, 61, battled Parkinson’s Disease for 20 years. He did not mention it to anyone for the first ten years. Jennings, who did not play high school football, was an outstanding punter for the NY Giants in the 70’s, the lean years. His name was added to the team’s Ring of Honor in 2011. He played in four Pro Bowls. He served as radio analyst for both the Giants and the Jets and performed as capably and professionally in the booth as he did on the field. The death of such successful men reminds us of the cruel lottery life occasionally is. Their riches were unable to save them. It boggles the mind in this age of medical marvels. Rest in peace, gentlemen, and thank you.

It always feels creepy to follow such solemn news with lightness, but life is what it is and we must go forward until the final curtain. The underground economy is always fascinating. Here’s new spin, featured in an article in today’s NY Post. The Dominique Ansel Bakery recently opened. It’s special is the Cronut, a combination cream-filled croissant/donut, both sweet and tart. Only one type is available per month, and each is five bucks, limit of two per customer. This month’s is lemon-maple. Only 250 are made per day. Doors open at eight AM. Waiting time is as long as two hours and, of course, there are those willing to pay others to stand in line for them. The new entrepreneurs command up to $50 per Cronut. I love America! Hurry before Nanny Bloomberg closes the place down.

After having no buyers yesterday, customers changed course during today's session of the floating book shop. It started with a bang. Marie happened by as I was setting up, and bought Killing. That alone would have been good enough, but there was a lot more. For the past week a gentleman has been buying non-fiction and paying much more than I ask, what he thinks the books are actually worth. I finally learned his name is Joe. I also learned the name of the woman with the lovely islands accent - Alma, who is retiring and will be returning to the Caribbean this Friday. She has bought many books from me in the past, including westerns, which her husband loves. Today she purchased A Hitch in Twilight as "something to remember you by." And a middle age Russian woman bought four works of non-fiction, highlighted by the large The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, which formed the basis of a multi-part PBS series hosted by Bill Moyers. I am humbled. Thanks, folks. Best of luck Alma.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/19 - Realism

With her last two films Kathryn Bigelow has established herself as the most artistically successful female director of all time. The Hurt Locker (2008) earned her an Oscar, the first in the category for her gender. She subsequently made a TV movie/pilot that failed, then came back strong with Zero Dark Thirty (2012), which I caught up to last night courtesy of Netflix. She has now fulfilled the promise she showed way back in 1987 with the chilling vampire flick Near Dark. All of her work from that point until The Hurt Locker was mediocre at best, parts much better than the whole. ZDT, the hunt for and killing of Osama Bin Laden, is a whole much greater than its parts. I watched the entire film, which runs 2:37, without pause. It’s feel is authentic and objective, and it was done on a budget of only 40 million, chicken feed these days. Bigelow trusts the viewer to draw his/her own conclusions. She does not reveal a political bias. Those who objected to the depiction of torture, the suggestion that it may have been a step in the long trail that led to OBL, must be thinking of a world that should be, not the one that is. Although two women have an essential role in the chase, the film is also gender neutral. There are no obvious feminist points made. In fact, if her name were not in the credits, I’d bet 99% of viewers would think the film was made by a male. Jessica Chastain is outstanding in the lead. I hope she continues to find and stick with the serious roles she has taken on so far in her short career. The only drawback, if indeed it is one, is way the raid is shot. Bigelow chose realism, not stylish film noir-like contrasts in lighting. Many shots are not clear. She collaborated with screenwriter Mark Boal on both her major works. On a scale of five, four. It is rated 7.5 of ten at IMDb. Kudos, Kathryn. I experienced some troubling dreams this morning. I was walking along the edge of the curb, as far away from other pedestrians as possible, suspicious of them all. It may have been engendered by reports of foiled terrorist plots as well as the film. We don't know who among us is plotting evil.

There is brutal news out of the literary world. Vince Flynn, only 47, has succumbed to prostate cancer. His 14 thrillers have all made the New York Times Best Sellers list. Some reached number one. All but one feature Mitch Rapp as the main character. CBS is producing a movie based on American Assassin. His first novel, Term Limits, was self-published. He hawked it himself in his home state, Minnesota. Well done, sir. RIP.

What a glorious day, clear, cool. I didn't sell any books but I got to see one of my favorites, lovely young Alisa, who was carrying a parasol to protect her alabaster skin. A hug and a kiss made up for the lack of sales. She is working for a start-up in the medical field, recruiting clients. So far it's doing well. Best of luck, sweetie.

I ran out of honey mustard at lunch time. I use it as a topping for Ali Baba's delicious chicken wrap as well. When Waj operated the stand, before he moved up to manager, he carried a secret Turkish concoction of his mom's, which I loved. By luck, he'd dropped some off today. Yum.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/18 - Complaint Dept.

I misunderstood the most recent proposal from All Things That Matter Press. I didn’t read the email carefully enough. I assumed there was going to be a short story collection of many of its authors. Instead it is publishing each of the stories individually on Kindle at one dollar each, as a means of publicity. There is no cost to publish electronically. I don’t object, and I will be thrilled if there is ever a print collection of the submissions. If there isn’t, it is still worth a shot. My story is The Bat, which I describe as an at risk eleven-year-old’s love of baseball. It’s about 6000 words, approximately a 20-minute read. I don’t consider it a children’s story. It would appeal to anyone who has a fondness for baseball, especially NYC kids who spent a lot of time playing in schoolyards. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DGBWAJY/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_DaeWrb1A22J22 My thanks to Phil and Deb Harris of ATTMP, who I suspect have been disappointed by the paltry web sales of A Hitch in Twilight. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was dropped when its contract runs out, although it draws the most enthusiastic responses of all my books.

It was an interesting day at the floating book shop. Mountain Man is a retired postal worker who allows politicians to infuriate him 24/7. He is even more cynical about them than I. "Assassinate them all," he said. I'd prefer to see at least 75% of them in jail, although some are guilty only of bad policy, which is not a felony. Herbie Milquetoast is on disability, having suffered a heart attack. His slight build does not conjure a stereotypical image of someone at risk of a coronary. He signed up for a credit card in order to obtain the gift of an electric razor. Two months later, it hadn't arrived. He threatened to cancel the card, recounting language I doubt he used while speaking to the customer service agent. He finally received the device. He admitted to me that he has no plans to use the card. A Russian woman complained about movers, who left some of her furniture outside her new home, claiming the door or window had to be removed in order to get the stuff inside. She assumes the boss, a fellow Russian immigrant, pocketed her money and went on a drinking binge. Bob Rubenstein, author of Ghost Runners and The White Bridge, called out from his car as he awaited the change of the traffic light. When I inquired about his girlfriend, a Hungarian immigrant 34 years younger than him, he gave a thumbs down. After 89 days of living together, he gave her the boot, believing she was using him to secure a place in America. I was not surprised, having suspected it from the moment he told me about her. Ol' Smokey is now squatting in the apartment from which he has been evicted. I suggested he stay until someone showed and asked him to leave. He will be homeless otherwise. 63, he is collecting Social Security but has lost his extras, his free meds. He can't get at the money his late dad left behind, although he is the lone survivor. I suggested he get a lawyer. "Ain't there a statue of limitations?" he said. How would I know? Ask a lawyer. He hit me up for a couple of bucks and returned a while later with about 50 books, mostly non-fiction. My thanks, and also to Mrs. Eclectic and the other kind souls who made purchases today.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brookyln 6/17 - Slummin'

The golf gods have not been kind to us this year. Cuz and I had been rained-out of our Monday soiree three straight weeks. The week before that was Memorial Day and the week before that Cuz had a family obligation. Luck was finally with us today, although we had to make a detour at the start. Our usual stomping ground, Forest Park, was hosting an outing, so we ventured to Kissena Park, a quirky par 64 that is a lot of fun and well-maintained. There we are able to park on the street, which saved us three bucks. The guy at the club house desk told us it would be an hour wait. With nowhere else to go, we sat at a table and caught up on each others news. The chauffeuring company that employs Cuz, Boston Coach, has been sold by its parent company, Fidelity Investments. Fortunately, his job is secure. He has just had to fill out a ton of paperwork. His son, Willie, who just completed his junior year of college, is following his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. He's been hired by the third largest promotion in the country and has traveled to several states. For now his main job is on the set up crew. He is also working for another outfit, where he actually wrestles. He recently did a show in front of 3000 people and had a blast. He has undergone a name change from the Spartan to Will F. In the latest storyline, he has been fired, but he will be sneaking into a four man title match in a mask. Cuz told me what's going to happen, but he swore me to secrecy. Anyway, back to golf. To our great surprise, we waited only 20 minutes. I guess those ahead of us on the list decided to try their luck elsewhere. To our delight, the fee was several dollars less than we usually pay. We had even greater luck when on the back nine only the edge of a thunderstorm passed. It rained lightly for about 15 minutes while there was rumbling and lightning in the distance. As for the caliber of play, after a shaky start, Cuz showed flashes of his old self. He stayed out of trouble and shot 83. I struggled with my putting, chipping and sand play and had a 90. My ball-striking wasn't bad, especially considering that we've played only twice in the last nine months. Hopefully, we'll be able to play every week until Labor Day. I was only mildly disappointed as I came off the course, unlike my old crazed self. The game has faded in importance. The only downside to playing golf is missing a day of selling books, but that wasn't the case today. On the way to Queens this morning, I stopped by our old trading floor buddy Joey K's home to deliver a copy of Exchanges. He must have come into an inheritance, as he gave me double what I asked for it. He's on disability. A couple of years before he was let go by the Exchange, he was having trouble with his balance and was falling a lot. To this day, doctors have been unable to determine the cause. He is pretty much confined to the house and is now using a walker. It pained me to see that. He's a gentle soul who deserves better. On the bright side, his eldest daughter and her husband have bought a house on Long Island. Thank you, my friend. Joey now owns all five of my books and had me number them.
The floating book shop will return tomorrow, weather permitting.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/16 - Dad

In honor of my dad on Father's Day, here's an excerpt from a short story, Rude Awakening, I wrote many years ago and was lucky enough to have published. He passed away in 1974:
   The bus wound its way to the bay, where Vito and his mother descended. He was dancing in anticipation as they awaited the change of the traffic light at Emmons Avenue. Once across, he hurried ahead, despite his mother's protestations. He took hold of the railing at his accustomed place and stood on its cement base, looking out to sea. His mother soon caught up.
   "Papa`!" he suddenly, jubilantly cried, rising on his toes.
   "Dove`?" said his mother skeptically, shielding her eyes from the bright sunshine. "Io no vedo."
   He pointed him out to her. His father stood erect, unshielded, at the wheel of the little boat, in characteristic pose, one that reminded Vito of the portrait of George Washington crossing the Delaware that hung in the library of St. Mary's. His mother chuckled as she recognized her husband through her squint. She seemed amazed that her son's vision was so keen, and lovingly ran a hand across his dark crewcut. He was happy that he had at least one trait that made her proud.
   As the boat neared, his father waved, which excited Vito even more. He ran to the dock, his mother shouting at his back. He hurried down the ramp and onto the platform, which swayed in the gentle waters of the bay. The motion made him queasy and afraid, but he refused to show it. His mother remained on the
sidewalk, having no desire to get seasick. His father moored the boat, climbed out, bent, and kissed him and playfully rubbed a two-day growth of beard against his face.
     The wine barrels standing one behind the other at the back of the boat were filled with porgies and bloodied water. His father had had great luck. Vito stared at the fish a moment, then looked away. Their wide-eyed stillness gave him the creeps. He knew fishing was necessary, but he wanted no part of it. He
gagged at the taste of fish, which puzzled his parents, who relished it.
   His mother demanded he return to the sidewalk. He refused. She would not let him go for a ride in the boat, so he would not be denied this lesser pleasure. Her fear seemed irrational - his father would not let him drown. He sensed she was not only concerned for his safety but afraid he would be charmed into following in his father's footsteps. He was amazed at how poorly she understood him.
   The burly young man from the fish store arrived with handcarts. The men lifted the barrels out of the boat and onto the dock. It seemed a wonder that the little boat hadn't sunk under the weight, that the motor hadn't broken down transporting it. Vito marveled at his father's resourcefulness.
   He backed away, as the weight had tilted the dock, which was simply a large floating raft. The men strapped the barrels to the carts and hauled them up the ramp and across the street to the store. Vito hoped he would be as strong someday.
   Randazzo, a paunchy, balding middle aged man dressed in a soiled apron, was waiting at the scale. He weighed the loads, smiled, dug deep into a pocket, and withdrew a thick wad of bills. Vito's father extended a hand and Randazzo counted out $70. Vito was thrilled and proud  - $70 in one day! He gazed
at his mother, hoping she would be satisfied. She too was smiling, silently. His parents rarely exchanged more than a few words, unless arguing, and somehow that argument had begun and continued without end, silently and verbally. Annoyance was the emotion they showed most. Vito wondered if he were the cause of their hostility.
   His father bought him an Italian ice, and they strolled across the street and watched the charter boats come into port. None had been as fortunate as his father. He'd once heard a man say that the captains of some boats followed his father out to sea, knowing they would be rewarded. His father never boasted, and it disappointed Vito. He wanted everyone to know how great the man was.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/15 - Ed Norton

As I open the basement door I noticed a large puddle in an area where water has often pooled during significant rain. I thought it odd, as there hadn't been any flooding during the previous week's deluge, which had been much stronger. I put the clothes in the washing machine and started bailing. I was just about done when I noticed water flowing out of the bathroom, where the shower drain was overflowing. This too has happened before. For some reason it gets clogged more frequently than it should. I let the wash finish, hung the clothes, and went back to work. As I was filling buckets, I heard the drain slurping and choking down some water. At least 20 buckets later I took a look at the shower. It was not pretty. I ran the water to clean it and wash the sludge down. Fortunately it did the job before the water threatened to again breech the drain. I told my niece to tell everyone in the house not to dawdle in the showers upstairs and to use a weak stream. So I spent part of the morning playing the role of Ed Norton, "engineer in subterranean sanitation." Water gone, O Captain Video!

I've received a questionnaire for jury duty. I've served at least four times through the years, all in civil court. None of the cases ever came to trial. Civil cases rarely do. I wouldn't mind doing it if not for the floating book shop. Being taken away from my job at the Exchange was always a welcomed change of pace. These days I work seven days a week, weather permitting, on the chance that someone will buy one of my books. I hate being deprived that opportunity. I'm wondering if I should take copies with me and try to sell them during lunch. A friend works there and it would be a perfect time to deliver Killing and Exchanges, which she has yet to purchase. She has the other three. Maybe I won't even be called. Yeah, right.

After brisk business on those days when it didn't rain, the floating book shop has seen a slump the past two sessions. Muchisimas gracias to the woman who bought the Bible for the Modern Family, the fifth copy I've sold. Keep 'em comin', Ol' Simon. And thanks also to whomever purchased Exchanges on Kindle. I've had at least one web sale per week since it was published. Alas, my overall book rankings at Amazon have been tanking after a nice trickle down effect. It was great while it lasted.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/14 - Flag

Today is Flag Day. Despite our faults and differences, we are lucky to be Americans. The leftists who bash her would be imprisoned or executed for such behavior in many other countries. In my youth I doubted the country's greatness. Through the years I came to realize that its pluses far outweigh its minuses, more than any other nation's. Many have perished in the fight to preserve the liberty the flag symbolizes, the liberty that allows critics a forum to air their views, which is one of the things that makes us great. Here are the words of Francis Scott Key, familiar to us all:
"And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

According to a recent poll, the Red Hook Lobster Truck has been voted the best food cart in NYC. Its specialty is a lobster roll, priced at $16! I'm sure it's delicious, but I wouldn't pay that much for a sandwich. Ali Baba's delicious chicken wrap is four bucks, two L&B squares are $4.50, two slices at Delmar, which I just had, are five scaroles. Hats off to those willing to fork over that much money. The only way I would ever have tried it is if I were still working at the Exchange and one of the brokers treated, as they frequently did. Pete used to throw a party every year just before Christmas at Old Homestead. One year I noticed that a $20 hot dog was on the menu. Curious, knowing I'd never pay for something like that out of my own pocket, I ordered it, which set many heads shaking, given the great main course the restaurant offered. If we were all still working there, I'd bet it would still come up in conversation.

It was quiet at the floating book shop today. My thanks to Shelley, who purchased an Oprah-endorsed self help book.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/13 - Resolve

Argo won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2012. I caught up to it last night, courtesy of Netflix. Since I’ve yet to see any of the other nominees, I won’t comment on the whether it was the worthiest film of the year, but it’s certainly good work, especially given the fact that the outcome is public knowledge. It’s not the first time celluloid suspense has been palpable in a story familiar to anyone who follows the news. But that isn’t the best thing about the film. It’s cinematography matches that troubled time, post Vietnam, post Watergate, Carter malaise, pre Reagan recovery. I do not like the drab look of many 70’s films, despite what top critics say. Argo embraces it from the opening shot of the old Warner logo, and it works. The iconic Hollywood sign that graces that hillside in L.A. is shown in disrepair, several of its letters missing, a perfect symbol of the era when the zeitgeist, soon to be proven grossly mistaken, was that America was in irrevocable decline. Another eye-opening aspect is its unabashed trashing of the movie industry. That’s been done before, but I’m not sure if as viciously as depicted here. Brian Cranston, Alan Arkin and John Goodman are at their best in support of Ben Affleck, who takes a low-key approach to his role as the architect of the mission. Although the names of those who play the rescued six were not familiar to me, I recognized their faces from their appearances on TV and in films. All are excellent. Any story set in the modern Middle East affects me viscerally. I feel the urge to spit at the images of Islamist radicals. It was no different here, despite the voice-over narration at the beginning that establishes an argument for the hostage taking. The worst of the fanatics, and no one knows how high the percentage is among the Muslim population, are totalitarian monsters who must be crushed. On a scale of five, I rate Argo four. It is rated 7.9 of ten at IMDb. Affleck has now directed two big winners back to back. The Town (2010) was a riveting heist film. Given the bashing he suffered not so long ago, when his career seemed finished, this is one of the greatest comebacks in Hollywood history. I suspect his political views are largely the opposite of mine, but he is one guy I’d like to have in my corner. He has demonstrated uncommon resolve. Kudos, sir.

There was a fun article in today’s NY Post. This is true love: a 59-year-old Brooklyn man refuses to testify against his 43-year-old lover, who shot him in the head, where the bullet remains lodged. He also wants the order of protection dropped so that they may marry. Now there’s the basis for a movie. It’s something the original Law and Order would surely have tackled. Life never ceases to amaze.

The floating book shop was rained out today, and the forecast is iffy for tomorrow.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/12 - Travelers

Fired from his advertising job in his 50’s, Robert Goolrick turned to an ambition of his youth -- writing. His first book, a memoir, chronicled his Virginia family’s life. I just finished his second, a novel, A Reliable Wife, which was inspired by the 1973 non-fiction Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy, which I haven’t read. The year is 1907. A woman with an unsavory past answers an ad and lands in a small town not far from the Canadian border. The winters are long, bleak, leading many of the inhabitants to suicide or murder. “Such things happen” the author cites throughout the narrative. The story is grim. The characters are damaged psychologically and not at all appealing, yet I was absorbed, interested in the outcomes. The themes are many: sexual repression, temptation, the difficulty of change, redemption, letting go of the past, forgiveness. I identified with the protagonist's struggle with his fierce sexuality, which is in stark contrast to what he has been taught. I also understood the desire of the characters to forget everything else and jump head long into a life of vice, an escape that will lead only to a premature death but one that will at least end the pain of living. “It was just a story about despair,” the author states in the closing line of the penultimate chapter. Yes, and it is unrelenting. The fortunate few who are happy are envied but only glimpsed. Granted, this is 1907 and life expectancy is 50; death is a constant even among the very young; but the tone of the novel had me wondering why anyone would want to live at all. The prose and dialogue are sound, making for an easy read. The book’s drawback aside from its dark tone is its repetitiveness. Still, I was enthralled, eager to see who would succumb and who would be redeemed. I suspect the author believes that no life is beyond redemption, but that redemption must be chosen, embraced. Unfortunately, sometimes the best efforts of those willing to forgive and help are shunned. The ending feels more like resignation than hope. “Such things happen.” On a scale of five, 3.5. The book was published in January of 2010. It is still selling, its ranking just below 20,000 at Amazon, where more than eight million books are listed.

Just when you thought the Obama administration had maxed out on scandals, along comes news of the repression of information about the sexual antics of Hillary’s traveling entourage. The story was held back so that the re-election effort wouldn't suffer. One guy prefers his prostitutes underaged. And now there is a lawsuit from fellow travelers, the ACLU and NYCLU, regarding phone and email surveillance. Hope and change has evolved to dopes and strange.

It was a banner day for the floating book shop. My thanks to former Exchange fellow traveler Kevin Perau and his lovely little daughter Sophia, who purchased Exchanges and Killing. Kevin left the Exchange in 2007 and began trading out of an office. He recently bought a house in Staten Island and was then let go by his employer. He is currently on unemployment and is thinking about pursuing a degree in counseling. He finds books on psychology fascinating. He is only 38. Best of luck, sir. My thanks also to all the other kind folks who made purchases, especially the middle aged gentleman who overpaid for two works of non-fiction, one of them Dinesh D'Souza's Letters to a Young Conservative, another fellow traveler. The windfall should tide me over if the forecast for two days of rain proves correct.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/11 - Inconvenience

The far left has a new hero, Edward Snowden, who has leaked classified information to the press and claims the moral high ground. Clinging rigidly to an ideal while there are extremists out there looking to kill as many Americans as possible is naïve at best. Recent reports about surveillance have been troubling, creepy, but the government must be trusted when it comes to tracking terrorists. Even Al Gore has raised a stink about it, but that may be because he has a lot of inconvenient truths to hide. After all, he did sell his media outfit to Al Jezeera, bought with the oil money of Qatar. A minority will look upon Snowden as heroic, as they have PFC Bradley Manning, currently on trial, and Julian Assange of the Wiki leaks scandal. Human beings rarely, if ever, behave altruistically. They are motivated by self interest. Those who do good work improve the lives of others while enriching themselves. That is enough. I doubt the three leakers have benefited anything but their own and the egos of their supporters. Now, should the government abuse the information, target the non-violent, by all means go after it with pens blazing.

I’m happy that Tim Tebow has been given another chance in the NFL, but I’m disappointed it is with the New England Patriots. I just can’t root for a team coached by Bill Belichek, although if anyone will find value in a player it will be him. I expect Tebow to be used at wide receiver and fullback, as well as backup QB. I doubt he will get any snaps in a regular season game in which the outcome is in doubt, not as long as future Hall of Famer Tom Brady is healthy. The most interesting matchups will be those against the New York Jets, who had no clue what to do with Tebow and who made him appear villainous. It’s amazing how many people want to see him fail because he is a devout Christian. I wonder how many of them think Snowden, PFC Manning and Assange are heroes.

It was great to be back on the street running the floating book shop. I hadn't seen the Lady Eve in quite a while, although she lives across the street. She is in the midst of a nightmare -- identity theft. Her bank account was tapped into. Fortunately, she will be reimbursed, but she is worried about what criminals are doing in her name. My thanks to the folks who bought and donated books. One young gentleman, always conservatively coiffed and dressed, loves counter culture material. Today he purchased a book of illustrated satirical cartoons on free speech. Apparently, he is a closet radical.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/11 - The Bat

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had more than 50 short stories published worldwide. I have several on file that haven’t been published. Now that I have five books in print, I haven’t concentrated on getting the remaining stories placed somewhere. An opportunity has presented itself. The publisher of A Hitch in Twilight, All Things That Matter Press, has asked for submission of pieces greater than 5000 words for a Kindle collection. If all goes well, there will be a print version. I’ve had trouble placing a story about an at-risk eleven-year-old boy and his love of baseball. The Bat is not really a children’s story and it’s more than 6000 words. I’ll send it in and hope for the best. I have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. I’m not expecting much, as the web sales of Hitch have been pathetic. Still, of all my books it draws the most positive responses. Marie has bought four copies, three for friends. I’ve sold about 130 copies on the street and through the mail. Despite weak sales, it has been a great experience. I’ll spend time editing and formatting the story, trying to make productive use of yet another rainy day in Brooklyn. Tomorrow’s forecast isn’t very promising, either. Here's a brief excerpt from the story:


   Seated with his back to the wall of the four-story building, Tony marveled at the long drives propelled by the bat of Frankie DeCarlo. Batting right-handed, the muscular teenager displayed exquisite form: feet parallel, slight crouch, elbow raised.  His swing was effortless, level, fluid, set in motion by the tiniest of strides. He hit the ball so squarely it barely flew as high as the three-tiered cyclone fence that enclosed the schoolyard. The ping of the aluminum striking the ball was crisp. Drive after drive struck the steel mesh forcefully, as if the ball were being shot out of a cannon. The Rabbi's windows, just beyond the leftfield fence, were again in jeopardy. The playground was still. Everyone was watching.
   "There's Petey Marino," said the pitcher urgently, craning his neck, gazing beyond Frankie.
   Frankie's head snapped about. Relief came over his face. Marino, the legendary sandlot coach, was nowhere in sight. The pitcher laughed. Frankie flushed, smiling. Marino punished any boy he found playing softball, claiming the lob pitching and larger ball ruined timing.
   "I better go," said Frankie self consciously.
   Tony, a dark-haired, crew cut boy of eleven, was disappointed. He secretly worshiped Frankie, who had started as a sophomore this season at Lafayette High School, which had produced, among others, Sandy Koufax and John Franco. Tony dreamed of following in their footsteps. He was sure Frankie would. Tony longed to talk to him, but it was against the unwritten code of the schoolyard, however: the younger boys were not to address the older unless spoken to first.
   Bored by the mediocrity of the others, Tony headed for the nearest exit, which was just beyond the batter's box. At the curb, beside the fire hydrant, he spotted a wooden bat split just below the label. He gazed about, seized the bat, and hurried across the two-lane street, looking back, expecting to be called a thief. Why had the bat been abandoned? he wondered. The break wasn't severe. It could easily be repaired.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/10 - Energy

There's an interesting op-ed piece in today's NY Post on nuclear energy by Kyle Smith. It focuses on former opponents who have become proponents, including a documentary filmmaker. Here are some highlights:
"* There is no way to produce energy that’s entirely safe.
* Worldwide, some 3 million people die each year from causes related to fossil-fuel use. The nuclear industry, which causes only a handful of deaths, is far less deadly than even the solar-panel business. The only energy source that is causing fewer annual deaths than nuclear power is wind.
* At Chernobyl, an extremely poorly designed facility made primarily for weapon fuel, hundreds of thousands participated in the cleanup after the 1986 disaster. Yet the UN, the WHO and other international organizations can tie only about 50 deaths directly to the disaster. Perhaps 4,000 lives will be shortened by cancer (a 3% increase) in an area where 5 million people were contaminated by the radiation. At the three neighboring reactors in the same building, people simply went back to work. Villagers returned to their homes nearby. Gov. Cuomo wants to close Indian Point, which provides 25% of NYC’s power.
* All the nuclear waste generated in US history could fit in 10-foot-high barrels covering a single football field. Only about 1% of that material has a scary half-life.
* Next-generation nuclear reactors will be able use recycled nuclear waste for fuel, making nuclear power a renewable resource and massively reducing the amount of waste on Earth. These reactors can also be built so that there will be no danger of overheating.
* The widely advertised fallout disaster after Fukushima never happened. Zero deaths resulted from the plant explosion or the radiation leakage from the accident, though some died in the panicky evacuation of the area.
* 20% of America’s energy is already nuclear. New Jersey and Connecticut get about half their energy from nukes. In Vermont, it’s 75%. In France, 80%."
This is great food for thought. The only concerns I can think of is keeping the plants out of the reach of terrorists, and the possibility that an accident might occur in the future, despite improvements in delivery and safety. I am in favor of it, but it still scares me. Like most fears, I hope they prove groundless, that is, if our politicians ever grow the cojones to approve the building of more plants. Many don't even have the pits to fight the environmental lobby on fracking. The world needs a lot more energy. Wind and solar will provide only a minute fraction of it, at least as things stand now.

The floating book shop had only two customers today, but they were great ones. As soon as I'd set up I spied a tall gentleman in an MTA uniform approaching. He'd bought a lot of non-fiction in the past and didn't disappoint me, buying eleven books. The next two hours were very quiet, then a tall, thin man in sandals passed and returned immediately, asking what my books were about. Wayne picked up A Hitch and Twilight and saw that it is dedicated to the people of the block I grew up on, Bay 37th. That sealed the deal. His family has been on Bay 41st for the past 22 years. He said he'd recently bought a memoir from a manicurist, a woman in her 70's, who works in Sebastian's hair salon. Thanks, guys.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/8 - Skyfall

Skyfall (2012) is the 23rd film in the James Bond series, and one of the best. I caught up to it last night courtesy of Netflix. I love Daniel Craig’s cold-blooded no-nonsense approach to the iconic role. 45, his face is beginning to show signs of age, and his age is addressed in the film, refreshingly, although his body is that of a man in his 20’s. The plot is solid and simple, a tale of revenge, not world domination, which is also refreshing. Of course there are the requisite beauties, breakneck action, exotic locales lushly shot, and thrilling stunt work, but the gadgetry is minimal, which is also refreshing. The climactic shootout is low tech but exciting. And more is revealed about the hero’s origins than in any other of the films in the series, also refreshing. There is a new, young, hipster Q. And there is also a bit of nostalgia dating back to the Sean Connery era. If I’m not mistaken, one of the sets from Goldfinger (1964) was re-created, a brief shot of a long alley or street. My favorite line from the film is: “Welcome to Scotland,” uttered by an almost unrecognizable Albert Finney, playing the grizzled keeper of a manor. The dialogue is first rate. I especially enjoyed Javier Bardem’s rats metaphor. He is an excellent villain, as he was in his Oscar winning role in No Country for Old Men (2007). The narrative also touches on a frequent theme of the great Brit series MI5 - the burning of good people for the greater cause. The title track is sung by Adele. On first listen, it did not captivate me as Shirley Bassey did with her rendition of Goldfinger, which remains my favorite Bond theme by far, with Tom Jones‘ Thunderball (1965) a distant second. Kudos to the filmmakers for making the old seem new: screenwriters Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan; cinematographer Roger Deakins; and director Sam Mendes, who helmed American Beauty (Oscar as Best Director, 1999), Road to Perdition (2002), and Revolutionary Road (2008), among others, quite a track record. Skyfall is rated 7.8 of ten at IMDb. On a scale of five, I rate it 4.25. Craig is signed for the next chapter, scheduled for 2016. Will it be as good as this entry and Casino Royale (2006), or will it fall back to the mediocrity of Quantum of Solace (2008)?

My thanks to whomever purchased All Hallows on Kindle, and to the kind folks who bought stuff today on Bay Parkway.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of brooklyn 6/7 - Rain

Rain-out Theater presents an excerpt from Vic Fortezza’s unpublished, near 200,000 word rock n roll epic, Rising Star. Each chapter begins with a quote from a song. The artist will be revealed below. 50 lashes with a wet .45 for those who fail to recognize it.
42         "...This is the mystery of the quotient/Upon us all a little rain must fall...."*

   Tears were streaming from Laura's eyes as she hung up the phone. She was confused, unsure of herself. She was roused by the playful gasps of her son, who began whimpering as he noted her distress. The dog barked angrily.
   Traffic was heavy this sunny, mid-April afternoon. Convertibles had taken to the road. Teenagers were laughing, smiling, idling at corners. Laura drove as fast as she could. She hit a snag at the Verrazano Bridge. Little Sal cried the entire way.
   "Shut up, shut up," said Laura, which simply frightened the child into more wails.
   She prayed her mother in law was home and cursed herself for not having called before she'd left. She dreaded the thought of leaving the baby with his great grandparents, who were too old to care for him properly. She would not ask Teresa to mind him.
   To her relief, Mrs. DeSalvo was home. She quickly explained the situation and left, ignoring her son's wails. She found a police car and ambulance before the building. She parked behind them. There was a crowd at the entrance. She lowered her head as she passed, wondering what course her mother had chosen: sleeping pills, razor, gas?
   Teresa was waiting in the hall. They went up the stairs together.
   "What is it? What happened? What'd she do to 'erself?"
   Teresa shrugged. "She musta fell. My mother sent me down to borrow some sugar an' I...."
   There was a dark, heavy set man of medium height on the landing. He broke from the conversation he was having with a uniformed officer, raised an eyebrow as he noted Laura's pregnancy.
   "Miss Camara?"
   "Mrs. DeSalvo," she said nervously, nodding.
   "I'm the one who spoke to you on the phone. Your mother had a terrible accident. She fell against the coffee table. It broke and she was impaled on a chunk of glass. She bled to death. I'm sorry. There's no easy way to say these things. We need somebody to identify the body. If you want, we'll get somebody else."
   Her face paled. "She has nobody else."
   She was certain no one in her mother's family would come forward. She wanted no part of them, anyway. She prayed the body wasn't her mother's. If it wasn‘t, wouldn't Teresa have told them? She hoped her mother had allowed a friend to use the apartment, as in the past.
   "Let me warn you ahead of time -- it's very bloody."
   She followed the detective into the apartment that'd been her home for many years. It had assumed a carnival atmosphere, as the investigating team was doing its work. The shards, which varied in size, were stained with blood. There was a large red pool on the blue rug. The blanket beside it formed a mound. Nearby there was a half-filled bottle of scotch. Trembling, Laura braced herself. The detective nodded and a uniformed officer pulled the blanket back so that only the face, which lay in profile, eyes closed, showed.
   "Is this your mother, Mrs. DeSalvo?"
   Eyes wide, Laura nodded, then reeled and fell to the floor.
Led Zeppelin, The Rain Song.
   At least the car is being washed by the deluge.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

  

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/6 - DDAY

69 years ago today allied forces embarked on the invasion of France, the climactic hours in the European Theater of Operation. On June 6, 1944, 160,000 troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the invasion, and by day’s end the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The cost was high - more than 9,000 allied soldiers were killed or wounded -- but more than 100,000 began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler. The world owes a tremendous debt to those men, many of whom were just boys, thousands of miles from home, some never to return, others maimed or crippled psychologically. Each year their accomplishments grow in stature. Soon all of the survivors will have passed to the other side. Time marches on, halts for no one, not even the heroic. Here's Ike's full speech to the troops:
"You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely....The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

Thank you.


It was an abbreviated session for the floating book shop today, as I accompanied a friend to the dentist at two. My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases. Yesterday Michael donated 16 books in Russian. There are only two left.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 6/5 - Psychosis

Among the scores of book donations I’ve received was the irresistibly titled The Sweet Smell of Psychosis, a novella by Will Self. It seemed particularly attractive after my long slog through Robert Ludlum’s Trevayne. It is the story of a clique of young London media hipsters seen through the eyes of one of the men. It concentrates on after work activities: drinking, drug usage and the ridiculing of others. Reading it, I was glad I’d always resisted the temptations of such society. It is superbly written, however, and manifests a keen mind at work. Self’s vocabulary is impressive. He uses many words with which I was unfamiliar. His portraits of the players are keen. I related to the main character’s relentless desire for the group’s beauty. I did not understand the title's reference to psychosis until the very end, and I assume it is drug induced, not genetic, although the character claims to have been clean for a couple of days before the climactic rendezvous. Is repressed homosexuality at the root of it? I’m not sure, although it’s not far-fetched, given the man’s obsession with the group’s most successful member and leader. I found it confusing. Then again, is psychosis clear to even psychologists and psychiatrists? The book’s 89 pages read like half that, given the large print and spacing, and the grotesque illustrations of Martin Rowson, who was once appointed Cartoonist Laureate of London. Rowson has written graphic novels. His overall work has a leftist bias, but that is not in play in Self‘s novella. The drawings certainly seem as if they could have been done by a psychotic. I suspect the title is a take-off on the film The Sweet Smell of Success (1957), starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis as unscrupulous gossip columnists, based on the novella by legendary screenwriter Ernest Lehman, and directed by Alexander Mackendrick, whose other works have not stood the test of time as well. It's stature has grown through the years, as evidenced by its rating of 8.1 of ten at IMDb. As for the novella, on a scale of five, three. Facts were also culled from Wiki.

After two days on the sidelines, I was chomping at the bit to get the floating book shop underway. Everything fell into place. I got the most favorable parking spot, and my two best customers, Lev and Mrs. Eclectic, showed and bought a bunch of books and DVDs between them. I also received a substantial donation of novels in Russian from Michael, and about ten of them sold. Thanks, folks.

Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3