Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/30 - Interruptus

The rate of obesity in NYC has risen 25%, despite the efforts of Mayor/Nanny Michael Bloomberg to change the consumption habits of his constituents. Since the restrictions have backfired,  please bring trans-fats back. Make French fries tasty again.

The Giants will not make the playoffs unless 8-8 wins the NFC East. Right now it’s looking more like a 4-12 season, and even that may be a generous assessment.

In the Weird But True section in today’s NY Post there is an interesting story out of San Francisco. Television news teams have been the victim of theft of equipment at gunpoint. Stations have hired armed guards to protect the reporters and crews. Yesterday shots were exchanged. San Francisco is as liberal a town as there is. Will its press now support the rights of citizens to bear arms? Or will it be another case of “Do as I say, not as I do?”

Last night January/Victoria Valentine messaged me on Facebook, asking if I’d be interested in selling a book of erotica she is publishing for a friend. I declined. The management and staff of the building where I usually set up shop have been gracious enough to let me do business there. I do not want to encourage any complaints that would have management ask me to leave. I wonder if that suggestion led to the wild dream I had this morning. It was beyond erotic. It was pornographic, and had my unconscious mind doing a comic short story outline wherein a man visit’s a club like Plato’s Retreat for the first time and suffers a series of misadventures. The word interruptus would be in the title.

My thanks to the kind folks who did business with the floating book shop today, especially the Russian gentleman with the deep rasp, who donated 12 novels in his native tongue. He is always well-groomed and smartly dressed, the epitome of casual but neat. I suspect he is very successful at whatever he does. Spasibo.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/29 - Black Lists

Last night I watched a rebroadcast of the premiere episode of NBC’s The Black List, which first aired Monday at 10PM, opposite Castle on ABC and the new Hostages on CBS. I probably should abandon Castle, which seems to have run its course. I’m intrigued by Hostages because of its stars, Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott, but wary of a single storyline that may stretch over years. I was relieved that The Black List will seemingly resolve each show’s main plot. James Spader is perfect for the role of a captured criminal mastermind now assisting the American government in capturing extremely bad guys. It is not repentance that motivates him but the desire to work with a young agent who, I assume, is his illegitimate daughter, played by the beautiful Megan Boone. The debut was action-packed. Unfortunately, there was nothing fresh. I’m surprised that I'm still shocked at depictions of violence on prime time network TV, since it’s so prevalent in films and cable series. This show has potential, despite the plethora of fare just like it and its obvious political correctness in casting. Then again, it is set in Washington D.C., the capital of PC.

USC has fired head football coach Lane Kiffin. I admire the swiftness of the move. The program was obviously headed in the wrong direction, 0-2 in the Pac 10 after last night’s embarrassing road loss to Arizona St., 62-41. Kiffin's record is 28-15, not bad at most schools but weak compared to the tenure of Pete Carroll, now the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. True, Kiffin inherited NCAA sanctions that hampered recruiting, but there was no sign of stability during his tenure, and disarray has been apparent since mid-season in 2012. He was once a prodigy, becoming the Oakland Raiders coach at 31. He lasted 20 games, feuding with owner Al Davis, and then was hired by the University of Tennessee, which he stabbed in the back by fleeing to USC after one season. His star has plummeted. My guess is he will wind up an NFL assistant, like his dad, Monte. I suspect West Virginia's Dana Holgorsen's job was saved by yesterday’s upset of Oklahoma St.. I’ll be surprised if he is the Mountaineers coach next season.

I had no book sales on the street today. It seems the law of averages is catching up to me after a much better than average two-and-a-half week run.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/28 - Sing

On Saturdays I pop one of the 40 or so CDs I've burned for the car into the player. Today I was listening to #18. Two of the songs stood out. The first was Rock-a-Bye Your Baby (with a Dixie Melody), one of Judy Garlands many signature songs, which her idol, Al Jolson, popularized originally, music by Jean Schwartz, lyrics by Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young. The song was also recorded by Sammy Davis Jr., Aretha Franklin, Cher and Jerry Lewis, who had a hit with it in 1957, #64 on Billboard's Top 100 for the year. Lewis changed the following lyrics:
"Sing "Old Black Joe," just as though
you had me on your knee."
To: "So soft and low, just as though
You had me on your knee."
I guess he feared the original's were offensive. Curious, I looked up Old Black Joe at Wiki. Written by Stephen Foster, it was controversial, although W.E.B. Dubois, a founder of the NAACP and editor of its monthly magazine, The Crisis, was among those who did not believe it was racist.
The second song on the CD is not at all controversial: Smoke of a Distant Fire, one of my all-time favorite pop tracks, written by Ed Sandford and John Townsend, performed by the Stanford Townsend Group. Its highest chart position was #9 in 1976. The band had no other hits, broke up after three albums, and the leaders went back to session work. One couplet always strikes me as ingenious:
"If things are the same then explain why your kiss is so cold
And that mist in your eyes feels like rain on the fire in my soul."
Given the beauty of the music and that lyric, it is a mystery why the band had no other hits.

My thanks to Bad News Billy, who grossly overpaid for a VHS of Double Bang (2001), a Billy Baldwin vehicle, and to the two ladies who purchased romance novels.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/27 - Pleasures

One of the great things about life is its cultural diversity. I recently stumbled across The Sixteen Pleasures by Robert Hellenga. I thought it might be erotica and decided I’d give it a shot and, if it became tedious, put it aside. It is not erotica and far from tedious, at least for those who prefer literature about the human experience rather than thrilling events. The protagonist is a 29-year-old American book conservator who travels to Florence to aid in the restoration of art damaged in the terrible flood of 1966. She eventually winds up working in the library of a convent, where nuns discover a rare work of erotica bound together with a book of prayer. How much will it bring at auction once restored? That is one of the intrigues of the novel. Another is the May-December romance on which the heroine embarks. Throughout the narrative she reminisces about her family. Most of the book is her first person account. A small part is a narrator’s, which follows the woman’s lover. The prose, dialogue and characterizations are first rate. The nuns are humanized, not stereotyped. Although there are scores of classical references and the use of other languages, mostly Italian, it never comes off as pretentious. I was so impressed that the author was able to do an entire novel largely from a woman’s point of view. I’ve done so in one short story, and doubt I’d ever feel confident doing it in a lengthy work. Yes, Hellenga is the father of three daughters, but I suspect many writers who have daughters would find it difficult to write so convincingly from the female point of view, at least in a serious novel. I have four nieces who are almost like sisters to me, and I still wouldn’t attempt an entire novel from a woman’s point of view. Anyway, the book was Hellenga’s first, published in 1995. He has written five others and many short stories. He has spent considerable time in academia, teaching creative writing. I don’t hold that against him. On a scale of five, I rate The Sixteen Pleasures four. Twelve years after its release, it has a decent ranking at Amazon, currently 358,201 out of the eight million. Readers are still discovering it. Well done, sir. I admire an author who proceeds despite almost certain commercial failure.

I had no luck selling books on the street today. I gave away three to women who have donated and bought from me. One was mercenary -- Amazon.com for Dummies to Marie, who I hope will learn how to post a review of my books there.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/26 - Lore

How many WWII movies have been made? It is a subject that has always fascinated me. Is it possible to present it in a fresh way after all this time? Lore (2012), an Australian film with a German-speaking cast, answers with a resounding yes. What makes it different is that the story is told from the point of view of a teenage girl, the title character, whose parents were strident Nazis. The five siblings, one an infant, are labeled “Hitler Youth” by a neighbor. When the parents are arrested  (or have they simply fled?), the eldest must serve as mother. They begin a long, dangerous odyssey from their isolated country home to an aunt’s farm. Along the way, the protagonist learns what monsters her father and Hitler were. Everything she has been taught blows up in her face. The character is played wonderfully by Saskia Rosendahl, her debut. The rest of the cast, completely unfamiliar to me, are also first rate. The film was directed and co-written by Cate Shortland, whose previous credits were largely in Aussie TV. It is adapted from a novel, The Dark Room, by Rachel Seiffert. The closing scene, where Lore has smashed cherished knickknacks, is memorable. She is shattered, perhaps damaged beyond repair. Forced by circumstances into adulthood, she has taken on ugly burdens largely by herself, shielding her siblings as any good mom would shield her children from harm. They have a chance at happiness. It is unlikely she will ever know it again. On a scale of five, four. It is rated 7.1 of ten at IMDb. I love Netflix.

With apologies to Willie Nelson -- cue the music!
Turn out the lights, the party’s over.
They say that all good things must end.
Turn out the lights, the party’s over.
The Bronx Bombers are dead.
Turn out the lights, break out the golf clubs.
Yankee duffers straight ahead.
Turn out the lights, open up the check book.
Cano has management on the hook.
Turn out the lights, Pettitte and Mariano have retired,
Many, many free agents need to be acquired.
Turn out the lights, the Captain is hurtin’,
A painful truth there is no skirtin’.
Turn out the lights, Arod is suspended.
The juggernaut has been upended.
Turn out the lights, the party's over.
To paraphrase Ernest Thayer: “There is mucho joy in Mudville, for the mighty Yankees have been struck out.”



Although I agree with probably all of what Senator Cruz said about Obamacare in his 21-hour filibuster, I believe it was an exercise in futility and another example of how full of it politicians are. The two things they do best: waste time and money.


It was a quiet day on the street. My thanks to the woman who bought three romance novels.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/25 - Potpourri

Recently, U2’s Bono alarmed leftists by saying that free market solutions and not charity were the key to eliminating poverty. Now, in an interview in The Guardian, he has referred to the “cranky left.” I used to love his work despite his politics. Now I love it even more.

Last night I watched the premiere of Marvels’ Agents of Shield on ABC. It was pretty much what I expected, action-packed, full of hipster dialogue. I’ll give it another look next week. I’ve already given up on FOX’s Sleepy Hollow. When it was in commercial I found a more interesting alternative on PBS, yet another UK crime show, The Bletchley Circle, set in post WWII London. 

As I suspected, my latest short story, What Might Have Been, was too tame for Morpheus Tales, which published Pristine several years ago. The editor wrote me a polite rejection saying it was “too nice.” I have now submitted it to The Golden Key, which was listed at Poets&Writers.com. It'd been a while since I'd done the tedious task of finding a place for a story. These days I'm tempted to go right to Kindle with them. I have less than ten stories that haven't been published. If I included the ones that have been published, minus the ones in A Hitch in Twilight, there are plenty for a collection. That would be a project to fill the hours of long stretches of bitter winter weather, third in line after Adjustments and my rom-com screenplay, A Truth Universally Acknowledged.

Facebook has rallied to $49.46. The temptation to take a profit has begun, although I'd really like to hold on until it doubles, which would be $86. I think its potential is much higher than that. I will try to buy Twitter once it goes public, but I won't put in a bid higher than $50.

Political Man visited the floating book shop for the first time in a while and he was in peak form, excoriating the right wing crazies and praising the liberal comments the Pope made recently. When he ballyhooed Obamacare to a passerby, the man, in a Russian accent, poo-pooed it and gave the thumbs down. I suspect he'd experienced government run health care in the Soviet Union. Political Man is going to be a June bride.
My thanks to the kind folks who bought books today and to the woman who donated a mix of novels in Russian and English.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/24 - Friends

The floating book shop has a new friend -- Jonathan. He greets me every day upon his return from his job at Stop n Shop, where he bags groceries. He smiles and says "Nice books" and "Good to see you," which I suspect his mom taught him to say. He is not coddled. He travels about on his own, despite his handicap, which I don't know how to classify. He isn't anything like those in the group of adults I see most days, who require supervision, who in the past were referred to as mentally retarded. He is also unlike the hyperactive individuals classified as autistic. Some days he grabs his yellow work shirt by his fingertips to illustrate his place of employment. I learned his name by the tag he wears. He'll offer either his right or left hand to shake. Kudos to his parents.

Wacky Joanne asked me out today, "take in a movie some time." I lied and said I was seeing someone. I felt so bad, and wondered if I were denying someone God had placed in my path. I just can't picture myself with her. There is one woman who passes frequently who I wish would make such an offer. Unfortunately, she's not a reader. I'd guess she's 50, 13 years younger than me. It's a sort of sin how men are attracted to women much younger than themselves. I discussed this with Bob Rubenstein, author of Ghost Runners and The White Bridge, who visited today. He thinks it stems from the fact that we grew up in an era of sexual deprivation. That may be true for a significant percentage of males, those who did not partake of the sexual revolution. Bob was married before he ever made it past a make-out session. Today's youth are or, at least, seem to be experienced. I'm not sure if society is better because of this, or just different. The number of STDs and abortions are arguments against it.

The book shop wasn't open five minutes when Chastity (not Bono) came along and spotted the first three volumes of the Twilight series displayed near my books. She purchased them and A Hitch in Twilight. Tomorrow I will try it with The Lord of the Rings series. My thanks, madam, and to Mikhail, who purchased two fantasies in Russian, and to the gentleman who bought three hardcover thrillers, and Bob, who upon hearing the background of Tantay Jobo and his self-publishing efforts, bought a copy of Be Considerate for Once.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/23 - Picks

I belong to a site called CrowdPicks.com, where members compete by picking the outcomes of professional sports from Baseball to Soccer. It’s free. For the first few years players were able to accumulate cash by making wise choices. It amounted to about a dollar a month. Whoever finished on top at the end of a season received a bonus. I never finished higher than second, so I don't know how much that was. Originally, cash-out was ten bucks. It’s now 20, but since the site is struggling to attract backing rewards have been limited to gift certificates for a top ten finish at the end of a season, and only in pro football. Last year I finished tenth and received an Amazon GC. Through the first three weeks of 2013, I’m in 47th. This past week was a disaster. I beat the spread in only two of 15 games, with one push. The spread accounts for 60% of one's score, which makes sense, as it is the hardest aspect to predict. Picking winners and getting the over/under correct are 20% each. This week I didn’t do very well on either of those categories, either. This is by far my worst performance ever, and I doubt I'll be able to make up so much ground, even though 13 weeks remain. My margin for error has shrunk considerably. I've always believed I'd make money gambling on NFL games. At the moment I'm glad I never had the balls to try it. Want to use me as a gauge on which way to go tonight? I have the Broncos giving 15 ½ to the Raiders, and the under (49.5). Remember -- bet with your head, not over it.

Considering the good luck I've had lately and, really, throughout my life, I feel uncomfortable describing a particular day as disappointing. My buddy Cuz twisted his knee and had to cancel our Monday round of golf. Usually, a missed links date turns into a money-maker for me. I decided to take the floating book shop to the hipster haven of Park Slope, said to be the most literate neighborhood in Brooklyn. One of the reasons I stopped going there is the difficulty of finding a convenient parking spot, which leads to hard work. I had to carry the crates the length of 6th Street, which is uphill, which is probably a stupid thing to do at this stage of my life, although I'm in decent shape. A lot of people browsed but no one bought. The highlight of the session was seeing George, who purchased Killing yesterday in Bensonhurst. I didn't mention where I'll be tomorrow. If we run into each other in Sheepshead Bay, it will be scary. Suffice to say, I was not thrilled about the long trek back to the car with no cash to show for my efforts. My arms and shoulders were aching. Ibuprofen may be required in the morning.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/22 - 700

Here are headlines that jumped out at me as I logged on at igoogle the past two days:
“Death Toll Rises in Kenya Mall Attack.”
“Suicide Bomb Attack Kills 78 at Pakistan Church.”
“Suicide Bombers Kill at Least 72 at Baghdad Funeral.”
I wonder if there’s a common thread.

Republicans are making a huge mistake in tying the raising of the debt ceiling to a de-funding of Obamacare. In an op-ed piece in yesterday’s NY Post, Linda Chavez suggested letting the apparent abomination go into effect and waiting for the public outcry to demand repeal. Of course, there’s that old saying: “Nothing lives forever except a government program.” Maybe the Affordable Health Care Act will be the first to be killed. And if by some miracle it does much less damage than expected or actually does some good, little will have been lost and recovery will ensue, as it did from the burdens of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. It’d be nice if all the exemptions, especially that of Congress, were eliminated so that everyone shares the pain, but fairness is not to be expected from politicians. They will cater to those who keep them in office. 

Holy cow - the NY Giants may be the worst team in the NFL, at least right now. Maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars are worse, but is that any consolation? Ouch.

I've reached a milestone in sales of my own works - 700, counting Kindles. My goal is 1000. If I ever reach that, I'll try for 2000. My thanks to George, who bought Killing, and to the ladies who purchased paperback thrillers. The way the Giants are going, they may give up 700 points this season.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

  

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/21 - Vertigo

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) is universally hailed as one of the greatest films of all-time. It ran on CoziTV, channel 109 on Cablevision in NYC, last night. I’m not a big fan of it. I think the plot is ludicrous and the narrative drawn out at 128 minutes. I’m not sure why the general public is so fond of it, but I suspect critics are impressed by the psychological complexity of the main character, unusual in American film at the time, played by the great Jimmy Stewart. It is probably the beautiful, voluptuous Kim Novak’s finest performance. Scanning the list of the master of suspense’s impressive body of work, I spotted five films I believe are superior, and several others I enjoy much more. At IMDb it is the 52nd most popular film, rated 8.5 of ten. The most popular is The Shawshank Redemption (1994), rated 9.2 on more than a million votes, 300,000 more than the runner up, The Godfather, also rated 9.2. I think I’m the only person on the planet who does not like Shawshank, which I consider jailhouse bull. The contributors’ comments on Vertigo are interesting, running the gamut of opinion. More than 50 years after its original release, it is still being discussed. If there’s a great beyond, Hitch must be tickled.

I had a nice laugh today when Jack of Chase exited the bank and held the door open for a while. I assumed the customers were getting to him. Turns out one of them had extremely bad B.O.. Of course, I immediately recalled the Seinfeld episode where Jerry's car is affected by a smelly restaurant valet. No amount of cleaning chased the smell and he wound up selling the car. Elaine's hair stunk to the point where the guy she was seeing shunned her. I also found out that Jack worked in the commodity business for half a year, at the time when Coffee, Sugar & Cocoa had moved to Long Island City. They eventually rejoined us at One North End, but by then Jack had chosen a saner line of work. My thanks to him, as he purchased three of the four hardcover thrillers I brought along specifically for him, and to the woman who pounced on a great deal for three John Grisham novels, and to the young man who purchased January Valentine's Love Dreams for his girlfriend. I also had good news this morning when I checked my numbers at Amazon. Both a print and Kindle copy of Exchanges sold this week. I'm hoping enough copies sell so that the publisher will ask me to do another book. My rock n roll epic, Rising Star, awaits.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

 

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/20 - Messages

America needs an economic miracle to save it from the sins and incompetence of politicians. In the 90's it was rescued by the internet boom, post 9/11 by the real estate boom which, unfortunately, collapsed. According to a report on foxnews.com, the shipbuilding industry is enjoying its greatest production since the 70's, fueled by the need to transport by the abundant natural gas being extracted by fracking. 10 new supertankers are being built and 15 more are in the pipeline. Currently, there are 75 working in the U.S.. If the politicians beat back the environmental paranoiacs and get the Keystone oil pipeline built, even more ships will be needed. Leftists must be pulling their hair out given this news and that of the massive ice building up at the poles. They must be hoping for a bad hurricane season. 

OWS Jack visited the floating book shop again today, picked up a military Bible I had on display, and scoffed, claiming he'd just blogged about making fun of the good book and all religions. He then enlightened me on a bit of Islamic history. In the 7th century the angel Gabriel brought a flying horse to Muhammad, which they rode to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Later, it took him to heaven, where he met the other prophets, Moses, Jesus, etc. and, eventually, Allah. The horse's name was Buraq. Jack claims the President was named after him. Here's an artist's rendering:

Last evening I messaged January/Victoria Valentine at Facebook, informing her that her novel, Beautiful Experiment, had been passed over by two potential customers who noted it is the first of a three-part series. I asked if she'd be able to eliminate the phrase from the cover, which is otherwise beautiful. She suggested telling people the story comes to a definitive conclusion. Sure enough, someone bought it today - without my having to explain anything. It is so odd how things like that happen. My thanks to that Polish woman who has been so kind to me, especially since I haven't been able lately to find books on sports or in French for her. My thanks also to the other kind folks who made purchases. I brought out five fantasies in Russian, and they all sold.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
 

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/19 - Meathead

The floating book shop was graced by a two-hour visit from Ol' Smokey today. Of the many fragments he offered, one was memorable. During his wayward youth, while in a narcotics induced state, he hung a sign around his neck that said "Goin' places" and tried to hang himself from an overpass on the Belt Parkway. Given his battered mind, it's impossible to know if this actually happened.
My thanks to the woman who overpaid for two books in Russian, to Mikhail, who bought another, and to Cabbie, who bought five thrillers and donated three. Here's an excerpt from All Hallows, a screenplay, available at amazon for a buck, link below. It's story is simple: five nuts escape an asylum, wreak havoc on a small town. The excerpt is brief, a one or two-minute read:

Part 30: The cemetery. The Grim Reaper is lying on the ground, cleaning his nails with a long, blood-stained knife. The grave has been refilled. Atop it lies the severed head of the gravedigger. The face is covered with blood and grime.
   Bundy: "Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him Horatio. A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne ...."
   He hears voices.  A couple in their thirties, dressed as zombies, has entered the grounds.
   She is wearing an Ozzie Osbourne T-shirt, he an Alice Cooper. He is carrying a bottle of booze. He appears uneasy, she excited. He whispers to her.
   Michael: Do we really hafta do this, Gloria?
   Gloria: I always wanted to. C'mon, Michael - it's Halloween. I always do what you want.
   Michael: But this's so perverted.
   Gloria bats her eyebrows, leering. She sings.
   Gloria: "You, you oughtta know."
   Michael makes a face.
   Michael: Maybe that get up is the real you. 
   Gloria, offended, elbows him.
   Gloria: You're such a meathead. My father's right about you.
   Michael: Your father's not right about anything.
   Gloria: Why're you whispering? Nobody here can bear us.
   Michael: Ssssh! That creepy caretaker may be around.
   Gloria: Will you relax. This's the safest place in the world. Nobody here can hurt you.
   Michael: Sez you.
   Gloria: You're scared. I don't believe it. Take another hit of Jack. Maybe that'll help.
   Michael: Whatever happened to having to get a girl drunk?
   The Grim Reaper, lurking nearby in a shadow, smiles diabolically.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/18 - Anniversaries

Lee Child has written 30 novels. I’m not sure if Jack Reacher is featured in all of them, but he is the hero of many, and they go back as far as 1997. Hollywood finally caught up in 2012, adapting One Shot as Jack Reacher, starring Tom Cruise. Many fans were irked at the choice, as the fictional hero is a foot taller than the actor. The anger is silly. Height doesn’t matter in films. There are techniques to cope with it. And Cruise is a terrific actor who has a commanding presence, especially in the action genre. I enjoyed the movie, which concentrated as much on plot and character as on thrills. The director, Christopher McQuarrie, also wrote the screenplay. He has a great track record, having written one of the best crime films of all time, The Usual Suspects (1995). Is it perfect? Hardly. The outcome is never in doubt. The suspense lies in the fate of the other characters. The plot is familiar, although sound. And Reacher trends more to super-hero than human. The cast is interesting. Rosamund Pike, a Brit, is thoroughly convincing as a Pittsburgh D.A.. The sexual tension between her and Cruise is palpable. David Oyelowo, who played Danny on more than 20 episodes of MI5, also smoothly portrays a Yank, a detective. Legendary director Werner Herzog plays the criminal mastermind. And Robert Duvall brings his excellence to the role of ex-Marine/rifle range owner. His restrained glee during the final shootout leavened the overall staid, cold tone. The film was made on a budget of 60 million, and brought in 80. If there is a sequel, it will be interesting to see if the producers, of which Cruise was one, inject more spectacular stunts and explosions to lure more customers. The film is very grounded by modern standards. On a scale of five, 3.5. It is rated 7.0 of ten at IMDb.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) has been restored in 3D and is playing a one-week run at the IMAX theater in Manhattan prior to its release on video. 1000 technicians worked 16 months on the project. NY Post critic Lou Lumenick says it looks and sounds better than ever. Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of its debut. To some fans, a 3D version is an abomination. This would be so only if all the standard prints were destroyed. The new print may attract children who would otherwise ignore the classic. “Follow the yellow brick road.” 

Occupy Wall Street celebrated its second anniversary yesterday and, naturally, OWS Jack was there. He visited the floating book shop today, whistle in tow. "From New York to Greece, f__k the police," he cried, acting out the festivities, tooting, turning the heads of people walking along Avenue Z. He reminisced about New Year's Eve 2011, when he and his cronies built a huge mound in the middle of Zuccotti park with police barricades. The cops were deployed in Times Square that night. Anarchy ruled in lower Manhattan. I believe Jack had had a few this morning, and on his way back home he was carrying two large cans of Coors in a plastic bag.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought and donated books on this glorious late summer day. 
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/17 - Gorgeous & Sexy

I watched the premiere of Sleepy Hollow last night on Fox. Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman awaken in the present age and begin an epic battle of good vs. evil. Although it is briskly paced and action packed, it lacks freshness. Why not an apocalyptic story featuring contemporary characters based on creeps like Putin and Assad? I doubt I’ll stick with it. In a similar vein, I’m sorry I stayed with Under the Dome, whose season finale aired on CBS last night. The ratings have been so good that it looks like it will become a drawn out series rather than the 13-part miniseries I expected. I’ve grown tired of it. The longer such fare goes on, the sillier it seems.

For the second straight day, a NY Post op-ed piece had me going to the dictionary. In his article on the unexceptional history of Russia and the cruelty of its leaders to its citizens, Rich Lowry used immiserated, defined as “impoverished economically.” As for the clown who ridiculed America after yesterday's shooting, I hope a pundit writes about how many people emigrate here as opposed to Russia. I’d bet Russia allows very few foreigners into the country, despite its booming energy production.

Here are observations after two weeks of the NFL 2013 season: By limiting RB David Wilson’s carries because of his propensity to fumble, the Giants reduce the odds of his breaking a long run.
After years of excellence, it looks like the Steelers are now a bad team.
Seattle looks great, but it’s a long grind, a battle of attrition, and no one can predict who will have luck avoiding injuries - don’t print the Super Bowl tickets yet.
I’d love to see the Jaguars bring in home town hero Tim Tebow as their QB. What do they have to lose?
It seems the return of head coach Sean Payton has righted the Saints’ ship.

It was brisk out there today. I eagerly awaited the sunshine to encroach on the floating book shop so that the cold wind would be mitigated. When the nearby mailbox heated up, I leaned against it for warmth. I had a good laugh when small group of handicapped adults and their caretakers passed. A female who lagged greeted me and said: "You look gorgeous today, so sexy too." My thanks, madam, and to Richie, Susan, Al and Ol' Smokey for their purchases, and to the Russian gentleman with the deep raspy voice who donated about ten 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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/16 - Patience

My vocabulary is good but not what it once was when I was reading strictly classics. I may not remember the meaning of some words, but almost all I come across are familiar. This was not the case when I read an op-ed piece by Amir Taheri in today’s NY Post. In an article on the Syria controversy, What Obama’s Lost, he used two words with which I was completely unfamiliar: Anfractuous, used to describe Russian diplomacy, defined as sinuous, circuitous; and Tergiversations, used to describe the President’s behavior regarding the matter, defined as equivocation, falsification by vague or ambiguous language. The tone of the piece was a departure from Taheri’s usual hopeful one in his coverage of the Muslim world.

Sign of the times: San Antonio has opened the nation’s first all-digital library, dubbed BiblioTech. It has 10,000 ebooks on file, 600 e-readers, and numerous tablets, desktops and laptops. When one of my customers recently lamented that the library no longer accepted book donations, I said that the system was probably preparing to go all digital down the road. That may be sooner than later.

My thanks to Oana, who conducted an online interview with me. It can be read here:
http://authorsinfo.com/index.php?option=com_easyblog&view=entry&id=433&Itemid=236

One of the requisites of running the floating book shop is patience. It required even more than usual today. It was drizzling when I left the apartment a few minutes before eleven. Having anticipated playing golf, I hadn't parked in a favorable spot. I drove around the corner, double-parked, and waited for someone to vacate - and waited and waited. Since it sprinkled on and off, I wasn't losing any book-selling time. The moisture was so sparse the ground didn't even get wet. I stood leaning against my car. Fortunately, two of my regulars stopped by to chat to help pass the time. In the distance, north, I saw blue sky. It took its sweet time getting to us. It was two-and-a-half hours before a space opened up. Since it was still drizzling, I decided to take the empties, which had amassed into a considerable pile, to be recycled. The room was closed for repairs. The sun was now shining. I fought the feeling of luck not being on my side, and set up shop. I thank the three buyers who rewarded my patience, especially Herbie, who purchased Nelson DeMille's The Gold Coast despite the fact that half a page is missing.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/15 - Snapped

Here's an excerpt from an editorial in today's NY Post, citing the benefits of fracking and lamenting Governor Cuomo's failure to approve it:
"According to the just-released study from IHS Cambrige Energy Research Associates, in 2012 the natural-gas extraction process known as fracking helped:
-Support 2.1 million American jobs.
-Produce almost $75 billion in federal and state revenues.
-Generate $283 billion to GDP.
-And boost national per-household income by more than $1,200.
The findings are similar to those of other studies."
I like to consider the pluses and minuses of issues. In this instance, do the economic benefits of fracking surpass the potential environmental hazards? I believe they do. Upstate NY is hurting. Just across the border in Pennsylvania residents have seen a boom by tapping into a particular shale and extracting natural gas. Environmentalists are blocking work on it on the NY side. So far studies have shown that fracking, because of modern techniques, does not harm the environment. Even if those studies are inaccurate, the environmental damage would have to be pretty extensive to offset the economic benefits. We may never be totally independent of foreign sources of energy, but we have the potential to be largely independent. Frack, baby, frack.

I suppose it was inevitable. The floating book shop's long winning streak was broken today. As I've done the past few Sundays, I set up a limited edition at the busy corner of Bay Parkway and 86th Street, concentrating on my books and those of my literary angel, January Valentine. One gentleman was interested in Close to the Edge. I sense he balked at the asking price, $10. Had I set up the full monty, I would probably have made a few bucks from a Russian woman and her teenage daughter who've bought many books from me. That's the way it goes sometimes.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/14 - Cozy

I’ve never been comfortable around animals nor have I ever had a real fascination about them, so I was very surprised at how quickly I was hooked by Sara Gruen’s novel, Water for Elephants. It is the story of a third-rate traveling circus, set in 1931, the era of the Great Depression. The story concentrates largely on humans, although a "Polish" elephant plays a significant part. The narrative has a genuine authenticity. Gruen did tons of research. The writing is lively, the dialogue rings true. Its ending is as pleasing as I've ever read, unrealistic perhaps, but I doubt most readers would care. The 331 pages, minus many that contain pictures, fly by. It is Gruen’s third of four novels. It was turned down by her original publisher, Avon, which is a lesson for all writers. It became a New York Times best seller, banging out four million copies, translated into 44 languages. It was adapted to the screen  in 2011, starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson and Christopher Waitz. Although I find it hard to picture Witherspoon as the character, I have enjoyed her work in other films and added WfE to my list at Netflix. On a scale of five, 4.2. Gruen grew up in Canada but now holds dual citizenship in the U.S.. Kudos, madam.

Last night, CoziTV, channel 107 on Cablevision in NYC, ran Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window (1954). As a movie buff, I was interested in three of the characters Jimmy Stewart sees from his apartment. They are always shown from his point of view, never in close up. Miss Torso, a dancer, was played by Georgine Darcy, who has only 15 titles listed at IMDb. The history of the others is fascinating. Miss Lonelyhearts, played by Judith Evelyn, had her career cut short by cancer at 54. In 1939 she was aboard the Athenia, on its way to Canada, when it was torpedoed in the Irish Sea by the Nazis. She was one of six survivors. Her father perished. The third player, the struggling composer, played by Ross Bagdasarian, is known to most lovers of pop culture, but by a different name - David Seville, the human voice behind the Chipmunks. Tragically, he was taken by a heart attack at 52. He was the writer of two other significant novelty hits: Rosemary Clooney’s Come on-a My House and his own The Witch Doctor. Here is a clip of the latter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iA_TZ15ruA

The floating book shop continues to enjoy good fortune. My thanks to Michelle, who purchased A Hitch in Twilight and returned minutes later and asked to have her picture taken with me. Her dad did the shooting. She is too young and sweet to realize I'm way down at the bottom of the literary heap. I suffered a conflict of emotions, at once touched and feeling silly. My thanks also to Jack of Chase, who bought two more thrillers, to the female MTA employee, who bought three, and to Mr. Conspiracy, who dropped off a Beatles anthology CD and political non-fiction that fuels his fears.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/13 - Triskaidekaphobia

Friday the 13th proved lucky for the floating book shop. I brought out five of the non-fiction books Lev donated yesterday, the ones I thought the most marketable. I guessed right. They all sold. Buyers showed up immediately. The beautiful Dancing with the Stars pictorial was among the first to go. I later had to cover the wares for about 40 minutes, as it drizzled. My patience was rewarded, as several customers made purchases the last half hour, and I gave my name to a woman who mentioned she had a Kindle, hoping she'll buy Killing, which is now 99 cents. Thanks, folks.

I didn't find anything interesting in the newspaper or online today, so here's an excerpt from a screenplay I had copyrighted in 1998, and which I plan to offer as a Kindle book this winter. A Truth Universally Acknowledged is a rom-com. The protagonists are a commodities trader who earned a GED and a Ivy league educated magazine writer. Its chief influences are Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The piece is approximately a five-minute read:

   As Kate arrives at her door, she finds a letter from her mother in the mailbox. She
opens it immediately. It contains a photograph of her and Joe dancing at the charity ball. 
They took so right together. Her eyes register fear.
   That evening, with Duke Ellington's Do Nothing 'til You Hear from Me playing in the
background, Kate and Joe are seated on the sofa in their separate residences. On the
coffee table before Joe sits an open phone book wherein Kate's number has been circled. 
He picks up the receiver, thinks twice, puts it down, mutters to himself.
Joe:
   Crazy. She doesn't want you.
   Kate, legs curled to her chest, stares wistfully at the phone, longing for it to ring. She
rises and pours a glass of vodka over ice.
   Joe begins taking out his frustration via a speed (punching) bag, grunting maniacally as
he flails.
   Kate, drunk, glass in hand, finally picks up the phone. She dials the wrong number, a
women on an answering machine. The beep sounds.
Kate:
   Why do fools fall in love?
   Joe is now skipping rope at a fast pace. The phone rings. He hurries to it, pauses to
take a breath, picks up the receiver.
Joe:
   Hello.
Kate:
   Are you welching on a bet?
   He muses a moment, unsure of himself, puzzled.
Joe:
   I thought you said ....
Kate:
   I want my dinner.
Joe:
   Where d'you wanna go?
Kate:
   Surprise me. Pick me up at seven tomorrow night. Dress like a human being.
   She hangs up and curls into a ball. Joe, who had been about to reply, stares at the
receiver, not sure what to think.
   Part Eight: A limousine pulls up to Kate's residence. Joe exits and bends to speak to
the driver, Dan, the same young man who delivered the computer.
Joe:
   My tie straight?
Dan:
   Perfect. Go get 'em.
   Joe rings the doorbell.
Kate:
   Petruccio?
Joe:
   Buzz me in. I got Chinese food.
Kate:
   Chinese food!
   He chuckles.
Joe:
   You're so easy.  Whenever you're ready ....
   Soon she exits the building, wearing a tasteful summer dress. She looks toward the limo. Joe is in the back seat, Dan still at the wheel. They stare in awe.
Joe:
   Whattaya think?
   Minc! I can't believe it's the same girl.
Joe:
   Unbelievable, right?  Listen, I want you to cue up a CD.
Dan:
  Good, good. I know exactly what you're thinkin'.
   Dan exits the car and opens the rear passenger door. Kate approaches tentatively, peers
inside. Joe, smiling sheepishly, waves. She enters and the door is closed behind her.
Joe:
   You look as beautiful as you did that night at the ball.
   She is speechless. Dan takes the wheel.
Joe:
   Kate Barski, say hello to Danny Napoli. Danny's what this country's all about.  By day
he works for peanuts as a clerk, hopin' for a shot at becomin' a broker.  At night he drives
a limo to make ends meet.
Kate:
   You delivered the computer, didn't you?
Joe:
   He does a lot for me. How 'bout some champagne?
   She shrugs as if to say "Why not?"
Joe:
   What's'a matter? You're actin' like you never be in a limo before. I know that can't be.
Kate:
   It's just that this is so unexpected.
Joe:
   We're flyin' first class tonight. Fasten your seat belt.
He pauses, reflecting.
Joe:
   Was that a figure of speech? I don't know how I know that. Maybe you remind me of
Miss Finkelstein, one of my old junior high teachers. She was a hot number, too.
She smiles.  He looks to Dan.
Joe:
   Maestro.
   Sinatra's The Way You Look Tonight fills the interior. Joe and Kate look at each
other, eyes aglow. Kate flushes. Joe pops the champagne cork.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/12 - Silver Lining

Silver Linings Playbook was one of the most popular and honored films of 2012. I watched it last night, courtesy of Netfilx. The first half is rather unconventional, interesting, even scary, the second half nice but pat. It is the story of two young people scarred by past experience and how they help each other recover. It received eight Oscar nominations. Jennifer Lawrence, star of The Hunger Games, won the award for Best Actress. She is Hollywood’s hottest star, literally and figuratively. The acting is the film’s strength. Bradley Cooper is excellent in the male lead. Curiously, this was my introduction to his skills, although he’s been around a while and frequently mentioned on Page Six in the NY Post. Julia Stiles brings her usual brilliance to a small role. Robert DeNiro’s performance as the Obsessive-Compulsive dad was hailed as a comeback. It is certainly better than his work of the past decade or so. Based on the novel by Matthew Quick, the screenplay was written by David O. Russell, who also directed. It is the first of his films since Three Kings (1997) that I’ve enjoyed. Made on a modest budget of 21 million, it grossed an impressive 132 million, and to think the only explosions occur in verbal outbursts. On a scale of five, 3.2. Those who rated it at IMDb were much more enthusiastic: 7.9 of ten. 

There is another troubling aspect that has come from the controversy over what to do with Syria. Some Americans, and it appears most are on the right of the political spectrum, are praising Vladimir Putin. One of my Facebook friends, blinded by his hatred of President Obama, has even called the Russian president a statesman. This is nonsense. Putin sits at the throne of what some pundits have dubbed a kleptocracy. He is an enemy of the United States. When President Bush looked into the former KGB agent's eyes and saw a good soul, he was sadly mistaken or taken by wishful thinking. There is no shame in opposing Barrack Obama's policies but there is in claiming Putin is a leader to admire. He should be feared and opposed.

The floating book shop had a great day despite being curtailed by the weather. My thanks to the folks who bought the huge tomes on MLK and on emotions, and to Gene, who donated a "potpourri" of non-fiction just before the rain started. As soon as I'd packed up, I headed for an apartment building about 150 feet from our complex. One of my best customers, Lev, got an ultimatum on getting rid of books from his wife. He gave me three large boxes worth, about 150 in all, and only five are not marketable. He loaned me his hand cart, which he is unable to use at present because of a bad back that has kept him out of work. It took me about 20 minutes to transport the books and return the cart. Many are choice, and it is an eclectic mix. I'll leave the ones I don't think will sell in the lobby in the morning, as I've done before. They'll be gone by the time I go out to run the book shop at eleven. Thank you, sir.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/11 - Primary

Twelve years ago today. Life moves on relentlessly.

Among the many wise statements made by Winston Churchill was: “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." Never had these words seemed truer than when Anthony Weiner, aka Carlos Danger, and Eliot Spitzer, aka Client 9, re-entered the political scene as candidates in the NYC primaries. I don’t understand how anyone, even a strident leftist, would even consider voting for either of these persons when they are opposed by others with similar liberal policy history. Fortunately, enough liberals came to their senses and elevated other players. Still, 48% voted for Spitzer and 5% for Weiner. What were these people thinking? With 98% of the votes counted, it looks like Bill DeBlasio will be the Democratic nominee for mayor. I believe, if elected, he will damage NYC severely. I believe Weiner would have done the same, so in this case the lesser of two evils triumphed. I’m not sure how Scott Stringer, who defeated Spitzer, will do as comptroller, if elected. The office does not set policy. It simply oversees the city’s finances. Spitzer wanted to change that and go after Wall Street. A child of wealth, he exhibits, curiously, the hallmarks of a totalitarian. He is scary. Unfortunately, I doubt either Spitzer or Weiner will cease trying to gain elected office. They aren’t cut out for anything else.

I do not like recall elections, even when they oust candidates who are on what I believe is the wrong side of an issue. I see nothing wrong in waiting for a term to end before making a change, unless the politician is proven corrupt. Colorado had its first recalls yesterday. Two Democrats in favor of strict gun control lost, despite massive donations from NYC Mayor Bloomberg and the like. The backlash on this issue is fascinating and, to me, unexpected, given the horrendous mass shootings this great nation suffers. I always feel it is wiser to err on the side of freedom, although it occasionally is dismaying, so I balk at gun control. The only thing that worries me about such a stance is that rigid application of principle is sometimes self-defeating. For instance, the stop and frisk policy that has helped reduce crime in NYC is on shaky ground constitutionally, but eliminating it risks an escalation in the murder rate. Also, I favor surveillance in this age of terror. The government must be trusted in this respect until it is proven that it has exploited the policy for other means than security. Life will never be perfect. The task of those of good faith is to find what works best.

The floating book shop survived the one-day heat wave. My thanks to the woman who bought the military Bible and SAT primer, and to Richie, who bought three works of non-fiction that included a 1966 edition of Mao's Little Red Book. He's not a commie, if that's what you're wondering. His taste runs toward the unconventional, particularly philosophy.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/10 - Cooling

The argument continues. Here are highlights from an article at UK website Telegraph on the issue of climate:
“A cold Arctic summer has led to a record increase in the ice cap, leading experts to predict a period of global cooling. There has been a 60% increase in the amount of ocean covered with ice compared to this time last year, the equivalent of almost a million square miles. In a rebound from 2012's record low, an unbroken ice sheet more than half the size of Europe already stretches from the Canadian islands to Russia's northern shores, days before the annual re-freeze is even set to begin. The Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific has remained blocked by pack-ice all year, forcing some ships to change their routes. A leaked report to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has led some scientists to claim that the world is heading for a period of cooling that will not end until the middle of this century. If correct, it would contradict computer forecasts of imminent catastrophic warming. The news comes several years after the BBC predicted that the Arctic would be ice-free by 2013. Despite the original forecasts, major climate research centres now accept that there has been a “pause” in global warming since 1997. Long-term cycles in ocean temperature suggest the world may be approaching a period similar to that from 1965 to 1975, when there was a clear cooling trend. At the time some scientists forecast an imminent ice age. Professor Anastasios Tsonis of the University of Wisconsin, said: "We are already in a cooling trend, which I think will continue for the next 15 years at least. There is no doubt the warming of the 1980s and 1990s has stopped.” The IPCC is said to maintain that their climate change models suggest a pause of 15 years can be expected. Other experts agree that natural cycles cannot explain all of the recorded warming.”
Maybe politicians should now encourage more use of fossil fuels to keep the planet from cooling. Read the full article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/10294082/Global-warming-No-actually-were-cooling-claim-scientists.html?fb My thanks to Frank M., who posted the link on his Facebook page.

As I was accompanying a friend to her car this morning, she noticed a note beneath the passenger side windshield wiper. It is the second she has received, the tone and language despicable. She has a handicap permit which allows her to park in areas off-limits to regular drivers. She doesn't have to feed any meters. Apparently, this enrages this person, who threatens to turn her in to the police, which is asinine, as she is not doing anything illegal and is truly handicapped. Since walking is so difficult for her, she doesn't use the car often and it sits in the same spot for up to a week sometimes. Parking is indeed maddening in certain parts of Brooklyn and frustration is understandable, but it is a mystery why this individual has focused on my friend. My guess is that it is one of the shopkeepers along that strip or one of the tenants in the apartments above. The area in question is directly across the street from where I set up the floating book shop most days. I hope I spot the creep in action. I'm so curious about who would do such a thing.

Since I accompanied my friend to the doctor, I opened up the shop late today and held an abbreviated session. My thanks to the gentleman who bought two thrillers in Russian and refused to accept them gratis. He donated a bunch of books in English recently and most of them sold. Thanks also to the woman who bought the book on comedian Sid Caesar, whose Your Show of Shows was huge in the mid 1950's. My parents, who spoke little English, loved it. Caesar often imitated other languages, spouting authentic sounding gibberish. In one sketch he used the phrase: "In de la panza," accompanied by either a stabbing or punching motion to the gut. My dad and I used it on each other for months, laughing. It is one of the fondest memories of my childhood.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/9 - Sport

Apparently, in the NFL it is now taboo for defenders to hit the opposing QB high or low. In last night’s game between Dallas and New York, a Giants defensive lineman, stumbling after being blocked from behind, lunged at Tony Romo, caught him around the knees, brought him down, and was flagged by an official for an illegal hit. It was preposterous. During the pre-game show, analysts Rodney Harrison and Tony Dungy commented after watching videotape of a player flagged twice for head-hunting hits. They speculated that defenders will now be going low, which may cause severe, career-threatening knee injuries. What then? Will the league ban both high and low hits on all ball-carriers? The desire to reduce injuries is understandable, but how far will it be taken before it becomes absurd? In my mind, it’s already there. The difficulty of legislating injuries out of the game was manifested during a play last night when two Giants defenders went helmet to helmet while trying to make a tackle. Both were stunned and play had to be halted until they were able to leave the field. The head sticks out from the body. It is often the first part that makes contact. Have injuries been reduced since these safety measures have been put in place? What are the statistics? Football is violent. That is its nature. I’ve always respected and enjoyed hard, clean play. Seeing players penalized for what I consider good hits has taken a lot of enjoyment from the game. Fortunately for the NFL, fans tolerate it. Pro football is as popular as ever. Old friends will find this hard to believe, but I find reruns of Law & Order and Seinfeld more satisfying than sports, especially modern football.

It was a a perfect day for golf, cool and dry. Surprisingly, there weren't many people on the course. Unfortunately, we caught up to a foursome that was in no hurry. Still, we finished in 3:45, much better than usual. I didn't even work up a sweat. I continued the above-average play I've enjoyed the past five weeks, and did not experience any rustiness from not having played Labor Day. My last four scores have been 86, 90, 87 and 87, due largely to a steady short game. I did not have a three-putt until 18. The highlight of the round was a 15-foot birdie putt on the par three 7th. Cuz continues to struggle, although he showed signs of breaking out of his funk on the back nine. He is suffering his longest ever bad stretch.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/8 - Jobo

As I was standing at the busy corner of 86th Street and Bay Parkway, waiting for customers to come along, I scoured my brain for a subject for today's blog. Everything in the news seems stale. As important as it is, I don't have anything to add to the Syria debate. I don't know how we can bomb Assad if it may help al Qaeda. So I thought this would be one of those rare days that occurs once every two months or so when I come up empty. Suddenly an elderly gentleman came along and asked if I'd like some books. I assumed he meant the used variety people have been donating to me for several years. No! He has self-published. Apparently, he takes his work directly to a printer. Tatay Jobo Elizes was born in the Philippines in 1934. He worked as an electrical engineer for several companies for 30 years, ran his own company for ten, retired in the late '80's and emigrated to America. Like his father, who published a similar book, Turning Points, in 1968,  he is dismayed by the lack of civility he has encountered both here and abroad. The title of his book is: Be Considerate For Once -- Behavior Issues. It is only 110 pages, the last 12 of which are footnotes. He lists his pet peeves in the third chapter. Here are the first five of 18:
1) Avoid blocking any driveway.
2) Park the right way
3) Road courtesy -- make signals.
4) Avoid double and triple parking.
5) Tone down that stereo sound.
The book is available at Amazon -- along with at least 20 of his others, many of which he co-wrote. Now he is a publishing entrepreneur! I love it. Here is the pic from his Amazon author page:

Good luck, sir.

Congratulations to Renzo and his wife, who wish me well whenever they pass the floating book shop. Renzo Jr., their first child, came into this fascinating world three weeks ago.

My thanks to Audrey, who purchased A Hitch in Twilight two years ago, and today took a chance on Killing. What a great week it was. I sold three of my books, had a bunch of web sales, sold one of January Valentine's books, and a lot of used ones. I'm almost tempted to forgo Monday golf -- not!
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/7 - Scenarios

Ever meet someone you suspected of being a B.S. artist? I had that feeling today on Bay Parkway. Bob, 74, retired after 35 years in the advertising business, spoke to me for at least an hour. He's in the process of writing a screenplay about two young film-makers who keep their cameras trained on an alley in a high crime area, hoping to catch an actual murder. They do capture one but discover they'd used the wrong film. They then focus their talents on adapting the novel of a reclusive writer to the screen. "Catcher in the Rye," I said. Bob laughed and said the two men consider Salinger, decide the work is outdated, and focus on another author, whose most famous work has Yahweh in the title. He says 14 million dollars has been raised to finance it, but that it will need 30 to go into production. He claims it's not difficult to raise such a sum once the money has begun to roll in. He also said his eleven year old grand-daughter has been writing for years, and that one of her mini-plays, ten minutes, was staged among others  in an off-Broadway production. She has had poetry published and has written a novel Bob believes would be perfect for Pixar. He said he's written dozens of scripts for TV and the movies through the years, and asked if I wrote any sci-fi. When he first showed he purchased a beat up paperback anthology of Ray Bradbury. I showed him A Hitch in Twilight and gave him a brief synopsis of the first ten or so stories, and he bought it. The conversation turned to politics. We have the same negative view of liberalism. He lost me when he proposed that Ambassador Stevens was killed because he knew of a plot to steal Libyan gold. As much as I dislike Obama and the Clintons, it sounded as crazy as the belief that 9/11 was an inside job. Still, I thank him for the purchase and wish him the best of luck in his Hollywood endeavor.

I also was visited by a an ebullient Russian gentleman, Victor, who bought the remaining two of four oldies CDs I'd burned on my PC several months ago. He asked if I had any waltz music, as he runs a dance studio for people over 40. He was so nice I hated to disappoint him. I appreciate that he took a chance on music with which he was largely unfamiliar. He recognized only Elvis Presley, but there should be a couple of tracks suitable for slow dancing on the discs. Thank you, sir, and also to Bad News Billy, who bought a book on his beloved Yankees, despite the fact that he was a few bucks overdrawn; and to Jack of Chase, who bought two thrillers and donated three he'd bought from me weeks ago.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/6 - Scary

Oana asked me to do a blurb for the piece she wrote about her experiences living under communism. I hope it helps her sell more copies than I do of my own books. Here it is:
We in the Western world, especially the United States, need to be constantly reminded of how fortunate we are. This piece will do that. Here is an eye witness account of someone who survived totalitarianism. In chilling detail, she recounts what Romanians suffered. The free world must forever be on guard against the monsters who would enslave human beings. Those of us privileged to have lived in freedom must be made aware that it is not a birthright, that it can be taken away. Oana does that, and we should all be grateful.

I bought 100 shares of stock in Facebook when it was offered to the general public, a little more than a year ago. Afraid the price would skyrocket immediately, I didn't want to be left out of the bounty, as I had been with Google, Amazon, Netflix and Snapple, products I loved but was to cowardly to invest in. I got in at 42 and watched it tumble to scary depths. Today it climbed above 43. I will be tempted to sell if it hits 50, even though I love the site and think its potential price is considerably higher. What scares me most is the overall economic climate. I'm not confident that it will improve, especially since the next phase of Obamacare will be kicking in at the start of 2014. Then again, so many entities, including congress, have been granted waivers. The economy may not be affected until 2015. Decisions, decisions - that's why they call it life.

The floating bookshop needed a change of pace, so I decided to venture to the hipster haven of Park Slope, allegedly the most literate neighborhood in Brooklyn. It looked like a dumb move when I rolled up to 9th Street. The area where I've set up, 8th Street just below 7th Avenue, was three-quarters blocked off, as the subway station's entrance is under renovation. I thought about setting up in front of John Jay H.S., which was closed for the Jewish holiday, but there wasn't an open parking spot anywhere in its vicinity. I decided to make one more pass and, as I was waiting for the light to change at 6th Street and 6th Avenue, a car ahead was pulling out. I faced a long slog uphill, as I used to when the area was part of my regular schedule, so I was able to haul only a third of my wares. I'm not as young as I used to be. I set up on 7th Avenue, near 5th Street, in front of a Rite Aid, just up the block from Barnes & Noble. I hadn't used that spot for at least three years. I recognized many of the staff from the nearby adjunct of Methodist Hospital, even though some seemed considerably older. My thanks to the kind folks who bought books, especially the nurse who purchased January Valentine's Head over Wheels. My good luck this week is now officially scary.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/5 - Impossible

In works of art, happy families are rare. Although they may be loving, dysfunction rules. The one at the center of The Impossible (2012), which I viewed last night courtesy of Netflix, is an exception. The film is based on real-life experience. For me, that tag has always been irrelevant. My main concern is not with whether the facts have been captured accurately. I care about story. Is it entertaining? Moving? Illuminating? In this case, according to a review at IMDb, the subjects were changed from Spanish to lily white, odd given that the film-makers were Spanish. I suppose it was done in deference to box office. It didn’t help. It was a failure commercially. Does the change diminish the story? No, but it does make it fictional. Of course, viewing disaster as entertainment is always problematic, especially when the event actually occurred. I’ve never been able to warm up to scripted Holocaust cinema. I was even uncomfortable watching Titanic (1997) and Saving Private Ryan (1998), despite their technical brilliance. They are so real I felt like a sort of voyeur. The Impossible skirts this by focusing almost entirely on one family for the first half of the film. The viewer does not get to know and like the other families, many of whom meet an unlucky and unjust fate, the second of the work‘s themes. Survivors of such events can’t help but wonder why them and not me? Another theme is the moral obligation to the suffering, even if it may place one in jeopardy. As expected these days, the special effects are marvelous. Surprisingly, they aren’t CGI, as the budget was too modest to cover such expenses. A segment in the special features showed the crew building a miniature model of the resort, and how the faux tsunami waters were delivered to devastate it. They had one take to get it right, and they nailed it. Ewan MacGregor and Naomi Watts bring their consider gifts to the role of the parents. The three boys, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pendergast, are wonderful. It was directed J.A. Bayona, who also did the spooky Spanish language The Orphanage (2007). On a scale of five, four. It is rated 7.6 of ten at IMDb. I got misty a few times, especially at the undeserved deaths and suffering of the survivors. The only entities as merciless as nature are terrorists and serial killers.  

My thanks to yougov surveys, where I earned a $100 gift card, with which I ordered seven copies of Close to the Edge. I’ll eventually turn a small profit on each, after the royalty payment. And I still have funds left to put toward Saturday morning’s groceries.

Sometimes smart leads to lucky. For the first three-and-a-half hours of today's session of the floating book shop, business was slow, which was not unexpected given the Jewish holiday and the fact that most of my regulars had already made purchases this week. I stayed a half hour longer than usual, hoping Crazy Joe, for whom I had put a book on ice, would show. He did and wound up buying three non-fiction hardcovers and overpaying for them by two-thirds. One of the books was by Dominick Dunne, which led him into revealing his belief that O.J. is innocent, that his son is the murderer, and that the evidence is overwhelming. Nothing he said was implausible. Visitors were in a garrulous mood this day. Mountain Man went into a half-hour rant about politicians. "They should all be assassinated." And Captain Spaulding went on for about 15 minutes on B.S. in general. I thank them for helping me pass the time, and I thank Joe and the other buyers for making it a third straight successful day.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/4 - Shana Tova

Shana tova to Jews around the world. Long live Israel.

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have ended a brutal stretch of futility. They have clinched a winning record for the first time since 1992. Heck, they may even make the playoffs.

My thanks to AuthorHouse, which sent me a small royalty check for copies of Close to the Edge that sold last quarter. Even tiny steps of progress are appreciated by a writer at bottom of the literary mountain..

It was a picture perfect day in terms of weather in Brooklyn. My thanks to the woman who donated four paperback thrillers and two pristine books on the Yankees, which her late husband did not get a chance to read. Yesterday's donation of 27 books in Russian by Natalia and Benedict is down to 6. Despite a bad back, Lev bought eleven, and a huge tome on Bible interpretation. He currently has a lot of time to read, as he is unable to drive his pickup. He had a long conversation in his native tongue with a woman taking her time looking through the crates, who finally selected Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray, Ph.D, at least the fourth copy of it I've sold. A local home attendant, pushing her charge along in a wheelchair, chose a thin paperback on Albert Einstein. And, as I was packing up, a gentleman bought a hardcover sci-fi short story collection and a work of non-fiction. Thanks, folks.

I just got off the phone with a friend who, as she did last year, suggested it would be a bad idea to set up shop in the neighborhood tomorrow, as a large percentage is Jewish. I was hoping she'd say it, as I'd ignored the advice and had brisk sales on that first day of Rosh Hashanah in 2012. Of course, that bit of superstition will mean nothing. Business will be as unpredictable as always. My guess is it will be no more than a few bucks, as my best customers, Mrs. Eclectic and Lev have already visited this week.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 9/3 - 3 F's

I just got off the phone with an old friend who's had some serious health issues the past five years. He hasn't told many people, so I won't mention his name. It began with treatment for prostate cancer. Recently, doctors found a golf ball size mass in his right lung. Since it did not show up in previous x-rays, it is believed to have been caught early. It has now grown to the size of a lemon and will be removed Thursday morning. He will lose a rib and 25% of the lung. Fortunately, he is in a positive state of mind. He told me he has three things going for him: family, faith and friends. All the best, my friend.

There is a compelling article on the Fox News web site about the nationwide battle between militant gays and businesses run by devout Christians. Here's the link: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/09/03/todd-american-dispatch-christian-bakery-closes-after-lgbt-threats-protests/
 
The floating book shop was visited by a minor celebrity today. Joe from Brooklyn has been calling NYC radio stations since the 80’s. I recognized his voice the last time we spoke, finally placed it when he had gone, and have been meaning to verify it for weeks. He describes himself as an advocate of Men’s Rights. I’ve heard him recently on WOR-AM speaking to Mark Simone and Rita Cosby. Simone calls him Crazy Joe. Cosby is a sweetheart who appreciates any caller. Joe admits that he likes to instigate, which is surprising given his low-key street persona, which he attributes to common sense, as he is a retiree and small in stature. He has been very generous to me. I ask for a buck or two, rarely three, for the used books I peddle. Joe always gives me what he thinks a book is worth, a lot more than I ask. He doesn’t restrict his needling to radio. He does the same on web sites and he calls politicians to give them an earful. He is an original.

My thanks to Al, who donated about ten books, mostly non-fiction, and to Benedict and Natalia, who donated 27 thrillers in Russian -- "Dee-teck-teeve," as she so charmingly puts it. I recognized the Cyrillic script for Robert Parker on two of them. My thanks also to all the buyers who made it an unusually successful session, especially Kinesha, aka Mrs. Eclectic, who is halfway through A Hitch in Twilight and said: "It's very good." Wacky Joanne also visited and said: "I'm mad at you." She's disappointed by the adultery of a character in Killing. "People fall into temptation," I said. "They don't always do what we want them to." Curiously, I have always had a strong reaction to adultery myself and wonder if I'd been betrayed in a previous lifetime.
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
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx