The Writer's Life 12/31 - Eve

White Castle has done the impossible. It has begun offering a veggie burger -- and it has more calories than its regular belly bombs!

The proof copy of my rock n roll epic, Rising Star, has arrived. As expected, it is thick and heavy. The front and back covers are error-free, as are the title page, the copyright page, dedication and About the Author. I've read the first two chapters and found one error, a comma where a question mark should be. I will keep a list and make changes to the file after I've read the entire book. There are two problems: the pages are not not numbered - don't ask me how that happened - and, in scanning ahead, I noticed that in several instances the text does not fill an entire page. I don't know what caused that, either, although I suppose it's because my programs are old. I will try PDF, and I will download Create Space's customized template, which doesn't coast anything. All the messages that caused so much grief when I submitted the file to the online reviewer seem unfounded. So far there hasn't been one case of the text exceeding the margin. I have no idea how long this will all take. The cover is a bit bland, but I wanted a completely different color than that of my other five books. Here's a look at it:

Despite the brilliant sunshine, conditions were unfriendly at the floating book shop due to a cold wind. With no Russian books or works by top selling authors to offer, I'm not likely to attract much business. Still, I'll put in two hours when the weather's not too severe, hoping to get lucky with my own books. I tallied up the year's sales. There was about a 30% decline from 2013. This was reflected in sales of my own books as well as overall. Last year I sold 60 of my books on the street. In 2014 it was only 47, and about eight of those were at a steep discount. I'm not one to make resolutions. I'll just try to be better in all aspects of my life.

My thanks to the kind folks who waved from their vehicles and those who stopped to wish me a Happy New Year. All the best for 2015.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/30 - XXXX

Ever hear of Magic Town (1947), starring Jimmy Stewart? I hadn’t until last night when it popped up on a recent addition to my minimal Cablevision package, Movies, channel 113. It’s the story of a maverick pollster who finds a dream town that delivers the same results of coast to coast polls taken by large companies. He does his polling on the sly, he and his cohorts pretending to be insurance salesmen. He falls in love with Jane Wyman, a newspaper editor, who discovers and exposes his secret. Disaster ensues. It is the type of fare Hollywood did so well, an idealized portrayal of America. Although it's obvious everything will work out in the end, it is a solid film. Curious about two of the artists involved, I researched them at IMDb. Wyman is not included in discussions about the all-time great actresses, although she won an Oscar for Johnny Belinda (1948), in which she played a deaf mute victim of rape. She has 111 credits listed. One is the prime time soap opera Falcon Crest, in which she appeared in more than 200 episodes. She was Ronald Reagan’s first wife. They were married eight years, her longest of five marriages, which included two to one man. Although she would not comment on Reagan publicly, she voted for him three times. They remained friends and she attended his funeral. The director of Magic Town was William Wellman, who was at the helm of three of my favorite films: The Public Enemy (1931), The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) and Battleground (1949). He also did several other commercially and critically successful works among the 83 he headed, including several silents. Although nominated three times, he never won an Oscar as Best Director, which seems criminal. Perhaps this was due to his personal conduct. He was a hard-drinking hell-raiser who clashed with actors, irked by their self-importance. He was expelled from high school for throwing a stink bomb at the principal. He joined France’s famed Lafayette Escadrille as a teenager and survived being shot down in WWI. His mates referred to him as Wild Bill. He married five times and claims his last wife, with whom he had seven kids, saved his life. If Wyman and Wellman were alive today, they would have to be included in Barbara Walter's list of the most fascinating people.
A note about this new station. I notice that its close captioning censors profanity. Unfortunately, it hasn't been perfected yet. In the aforementioned film a character was named Dick. When he was mentioned, four x's appeared: XXXX. 

Although the wind wasn't nearly as stiff as the radio report led me to believe, it was uncomfortably cold, as there was little sunshine, making the floating book shop a tough chore. I toughed it out for two hours. I thank the woman who bought Maya Angelou's Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now. I had a visit from Political Man, a staunch liberal in favor of government handouts, of which he takes full advantage. His Discover bill for music purchases this month is $698. He owns thousands of CDs, apparently subsidized by the U.S. taxpayer. What a country!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/29 - Black Monday

NFL Review: The regular season has ended. There were no surprises in the last week, the Bengals, Lions and Chargers coming up short, as they have in the past. The teams that earned a bye must worry about maintaining their edge. Those who play a first round game must tell themselves that teams in this situation have gone on to win the big prize. If I were a head coach, I’d be saying: “Look at what the Giants did those two years -- why can’t we?” The Steelers seem the only real threat to the Patriots in the AFC. I hope I'm wrong, but the Broncos have fallen a few notches despite the emergence of a sound rushing attack. As for the NFC, I relish a rematch of the Seahawks-Cowboys. Dallas, which went an incredible 8-0 on the road, won in Seattle early in the season, which provided a springboard for its great year. As expected, Black Monday claimed three head coaches: the Jets' Rex Ryan, the Falcons' Mike Smith and the Bears' Marc Trestman. As for the local teams, the Giants broke in a number of promising players in 2014. What used to be a weak point, its receiving corps, has become a strength since the emergence of WR Odell Beckham Jr. and TE Larry Donnell, who must cure his penchant for fumbling. If Victor Cruz returns to his pre-injury form, the offense will be tough to stop. RB Andre Williams also showed flashes of brilliance. The biggest off-season problem will be shoring up the defense. Free agent DE Jason Pierre-Paul seems to be regaining his all-pro form. Management must decide whether it will be wise to invest a huge chunk of the payroll in him. I’ll be surprised if their early draft choices aren't all on the defensive side. The Jets ended on a positive note. Were they better than their record, 4-10, indicates? Probably, but they still have a long way to go. QB Geno Smith’s near perfect game yesterday increases the quandary. What do they do -- stick with him or seek another signal caller? If I were the GM, my priority would be acquiring a game-breaking WR, preferably through the draft. Their RBs are fine. Their secondary is another area that needs to be addressed. Super Bowl prediction: Cowboys-Patriots.

I had no luck selling books on the street, despite the beautiful day. Maybe tomorrow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/28 - Scribbling

Sometimes I wonder if a film intrigues simply because it’s caught at the right moment. Last night I watched The Scribbler (2014), courtesy of Netflix. The central figure, a beautiful young woman, suffers multiple personality disorder. She is treated by a doctor who hooks her to a machine capable of wiping out her extraneous personalities one by one. Trouble is, when it comes down to the last two, the choice is difficult, risky. Will she erase her “real” self? The flick is far from perfect, and nothing manifests it more than that the character is sent to a voluntary asylum with a portable device, in charge of the reductions herself. 38% of the inmates commit suicide -- or are they being murdered? The Scribbler, who writes her notes backwards, is the prime suspect. The cast  is filled with familiar faces, most of whose names were unknown to me. The star is Katie Cassidy, daughter of former teen idol David. Michelle Trachtenberg and Michael Imperioli play the authorities trying to get to the truth. Billy Campbell plays the doctor. And what would a movie like this be without someone like Gina Gershon, whose career is filled with off beat roles? Garret Dillahunt and Eliza Dushku are on hand, as is former XXX star Sasha Grey, whose last porno was Anal Artists (2012). There were no ugly people at this nut house. What I enjoyed most was the ideas thrown around about identity. Most humans suffer a simple duality, battling the temptations of our darker selves. Any more incarnations are considered abnormal, although the film questions this. Given that the heroine decides to scale back, it provides an answer. Who can explain such questions convincingly? Theories abound, but has anyone really gotten to the bottom of human behavior? And what is essentially a thriller, running only 90 minutes, cannot be expected to offer valuable insight. 1827 users at IMDb have rated the film, forging to a consensus of 5.3 of ten, way too low. On a scale of five, I say 3.75. The commentary section yielded only one interesting tidbit, likening the film to Identity (2003), which I’ve seen but recall only vaguely. I remember being embarrassed that a young friend understood it better than I, and thinking that he should be the one writing novels. John Suits directed, his third stint at the helm of a full feature. He has 22 credits as a producer, most of them independent fare unfamiliar to me. Dan Schaffer adapted the screenplay from his graphic novel, copies of which sell at Amazon at a whopping $499-$549.

It was one of those rare day at the floating book shop when all went well, from parking to sales. My thanks to Lila, who bought Killing, and Lorraine who purchased A Hitch in Twilight; to the lovely, young Russian mom who bought three books in her native language; to the woman who bought Jean Auel's wildly popular Clan of the Cave Bear; to B.S. Bob, who bought the Ray Bradbury classic, The Martian Chronicles; and to Bad News Billy, who bought the Modern Country CD I'd recently burned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/27 - Wizards

Born in 1929, Ursula K. Le Guin is one of the most highly regarded sci-fi/fantasy writers ever. She started having stories published in the 1960’s and has won dozens of awards. Her work has been adapted to film, animation, radio, theater and opera. She participated in the PBS 1980 production of her  novel, The Lathe of Heaven, which I’ve seen at least twice, impressed by its intelligence. I’d never read any of her books. When The Wizard of Earthsea, published in 1968, came my way, I hesitated, as it is not the type of novel I enjoy. My instincts were on the money. I struggled through its 182 pages, my mind wandering. Although the story is rich in imagination, I found the prose unpolished, which really surprised me. This may be attributable to the fact that it is of a different world, not the planet Earth. Even if that’s the case, I’m disappointed. It needed another draft. I regret not waiting for one of her other novels to come along. On a scale of five, I rate it two-and-a-half. Of course, her critical and commercial success dwarf mind, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I think the novel’s appeal is restricted to fans of the genre. It is the first in a series of six, one of which is a short story collection.

I was curious about Hollywood conservatives. Here's a list and a comment by yours truly on the presence of those that surprise me. I'd guess that most are actually libertarian, that is fiscally conservative, socially middle of the road to liberal.
Adam Baldwin - I wonder if he argues with Alec at holiday dinners.
Stephen Baldwin - Same as above.
Michael Caine - Seems like any political quote I ever heard from him leaned way left.
Kirk Cameron
Shannen Doherty - She's been a Republican since she was in her teens.
Robert Downey, Jr. - Given his substance abuse history, this is really surprising. I guess he's truly reformed.
Clint Eastwood
Andy Garcia
Kelsey Grammer
Charlton Heston
Victoria Jackson - SNL blonde is not as ditzy as the characters she portrayed.
James Earl Jones - So few blacks are conservative. 
Christopher Lee
Susan Lucci
Craig T. Nelson
Chuck Norris
Gary Oldman - Completely contrary to the characters he played early in his career.
Ronald Reagan
Joan Rivers - Despite the tradition of Jewish liberalism, she didn't seem to suffer fools and foolishness.
Kurt Russell - Given that he has been married for decades to perpetual flower child Goldie Hawn, this is most surprising.
Gary Sinise
Adam Sandler - Jews have a tradition of liberalism.
Dwight Schultz
Arnold Schwarzenegger - His record as governor of California belies his conservative tag.
Tom Selleck
Kevin Sorbo
James Stewart
Sylvester Stallone
Vince Vaughn
Jon Voight
Jimmie Walker - See comment about James Earl Jones.
Bruce Willis
James Woods - The most outspoken of all.



A large Asia family swarmed the floating book shop as I was setting up, buying three items. Then there wasn't another sale for the next three hours, despite spring-like weather and even though I offered any of my books for two bucks to a couple of semi-regulars. It was a huge slice of humble pie.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/26 - Post Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone. I overate during the seafood dinner on the Eve, so much that I skipped dessert, which was set out after midnight. I made sure to leave some space the next day., and had sense enough not to overdo it. My great nephew Ronnie has completed his first semester at the University of Kentucky. His GPA was 3.5. I thank my family for the nice gifts. Traffic to and from Bayville, just past Tom's River, was a dream. I guess most people stayed home for the holiday. The price of gas has fallen so precipitously that the $2.80 per gallon I paid Tuesday seemed like a bargain. I didn’t even bother to top off yesterday with the much cheaper Jersey fuel.

Here’s a story from the NY Post, edited by yours truly, about a modern, ridiculous Scrooge. “A passenger was tossed off a plane at La Guardia Airport after flipping out because airline workers wished him a merry Christmas. The man was waiting to board when a cheerful gate agent began welcoming everyone while checking boarding passes. The grumpy passenger, who appeared to be traveling alone, barked, ‘You shouldn’t say that because not everyone celebrates Christmas.’ The agent replied, ‘Well, what should I say then?’ ‘Don’t say Merry Christmas!’ the man shouted. Once on the plane, he was greeted warmly by a flight attendant who also said the magic words. ‘Don’t say, Merry Christmas!’ the man raged before lecturing the attendants and the pilot about the faux pas. The crew tried to calm him, but he continued his hectoring. As he was escorted from the plane, other passengers burst into cheers and applause.” I wonder if he was visited by a ghost at the stroke of midnight.

While NYC’s tax coffers are showing a surplus this year and also will the following two, the state continues to bleed population, suffering a net loss of 153,931 residents in 2014, two million since 2000. NY has dropped to fourth in population, slipping behind Florida. Where would we be without immigrants -- legal and illegal?

The weather was about as good as it gets for late December. While the floating book shop didn’t bring in much money today, I had fun. I was wearing the sneakers my sister gave me, the hoodie my niece Isabel gave me, and the sweater Ronnie and his sister Danielle gave me. I thank the kind folks who bought three books in Russian, the lady who donated one, and the woman who gave me a box of wrapped chocolates, which I shared with customers and passersby. Janet made my day when she said how much she is enjoying A Hitch in Twilight. And I had a visit from Bob Rubenstein, author of Ghost Runners, who has had his dream fulfilled, as the novel has become available as an audio book. Crazy Joe, the scourge of local talk radio hosts, also stopped by. He recently got himself thrown out of a meeting of the Brooklyn Tea Party, the leader of whom dubbed him KKK.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/24 - Countdown

NYC is taking in a lot more tax revenue than had been expected, a huge surplus, and projections for the next two years have gone from in the red to the black. Tourists have bailed out the city and made up for the shrinkage of Wall Street. If the city doesn't devolve to the violence of pre-1990, expect de Blasio to be re-elected in a landslide. I'm sure the mayor & company will be playing Santa Claus, buying a lot of votes with that cash. Hopefully, there will be some left over to address infrastructure. As for the rest of the state, most of it will continue to struggle, as it does not have tourism and Broadway and the remnants of Wall Street to pay its bills. I'm sure the Governor will try to divert some of the city's surplus upstate. It will be interesting to see what occurs.

My Christmas gift to myself is on the way. My literary angel, Victoria Valentine of Water Forest Press, told me the Create Space file checker found issues with the manuscripts she submitted, but that in each instance she ordered a proof copy nonetheless, and all of them turned out fine. I just had email confirmation that mine is ready, and I ordered one. The strange thing is that I used the template CS provided, and still had issues. I don't understand why the template itself couldn't be uploaded. I created a word file from it. Despite the difficulties I encountered, I doubt there's a better option for a self-published book -- no fee except for the purchase of books! It offers professional help at a heavy price, but I don't see any advantage in it. Lately, I've been more accepting of my place at the bottom of the literary totem pole. I'd rather not throw a lot of money into trying to climb up a few rungs. If a rise is meant to be, word of mouth will be the deciding factor.

Dinner won't be before eight o'clock. Right now I'm not even remotely hungry, but I'm looking forward to those shrimp wrapped in bacon and seafood of various sorts.

The Writer's Life 12/23 - Nuts

70 years ago at this time American forces were engaged in the Battle of the Bugle, the Nazis last desperate push to turn the tide of WWII. On December 22nd the Germans dispatched a contingent requesting American surrender. General Anthony McAuliffe, commander of the legendary 101st Airborne, sent back a one-word reply: “NUTS!” It is alleged that a G.I., one of the “Battered Bastards of Bastogne,” quipped: “They’ve got us surrounded, the poor bastards.” Young men thousands of miles from home spent Christmas repelling the evil that threatened the world. Many lost their lives. Because of their sacrifices, all of us enjoy the fruits of liberty, won at so terrible a cost. No amount of words could ever express the gratitude they are owed.
My thanks to Rich Lowry, whose op-ed piece in today’s NY Post recalled this pivotal moment in world history.

NFL Review: The Seahawks are at once impressive and exasperating in light of the ridiculous amount of penalties they incur. The cavalier attitude that jeopardizes a second straight championship is nuts… All AFC playoff-bound teams should consult the Jets’ Rex Ryan on how to defend against the Patriots offense, or perhaps New England simply played down to their opponent’s ability on Sunday… I sense the Broncos will crash and burn early in the post season. Suddenly Peyton Manning looks his age…As usual, the playoff picture is so muddled only the most rabid fans will bother to delve into it, but there are two games in the final week of the regular season that are terrific matchups: Detroit at Green Bay, and Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, each for a division title. Given the recent history of these franchises, it would be surprising but refreshing if the Lions and Bengals prevailed. I think the Steelers are the only threat to New England. Is Seattle a lock? Let’s not forget that in Week Six the Cowboys, on a great roll, beat them on the road.

The term “roids” has become part of the American vernacular. The first thing one thinks of when hearing it is "performance enhancing drugs." The past day and a half I’ve been thinking of its other application -- hemorrhoids, as I’ve been experiencing my worst bout ever. I feel like Al Bundy did whenever he moaned of the discomfort. I try to avoid foods, such as nuts, that bring them about. The only different item I had lately was a Progresso vegetable soup. Could something so healthy have caused the attack? I’m not sure, but I won’t ever be having it again. Fortunately, the nastiness seems to be subsiding.

The floating book shop was rained out. I did the last of my Christmas shopping at Kohls at the former Caesar's Bay. I was there and back in 90 minutes. Then I banged my head against the wall for a couple of hours trying to get a file that matches Create Space's requirements into its system. I have an ace in the hole, at least I hope I do, but I'm hesitant to ask the favor. Stay tuned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/22 - Closer

RIP Joe Cocker, 70, who succumbed to cancer. He was one of the most unique singers of all-time. His gritty voice and body movements captivated fans. His cover of the Beatles' With a Little Help from My Friends reached number one in the UK in 1968, and he performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969. His version also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years. His 1975 cover of Billy Preston's You Are So Beautiful reached number five in the U.S.. Cocker is the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his U.S. number one single Up Where We Belong, a duet with Jennifer Warnes. He was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list. Well done, sir. (Facts from Wiki)

My rock n roll epic, Rising Star, is close to ready. I thought I'd finished preparation, but a new snag arose this morning when I uploaded the file to Create Space. I wanted the book to be in 12 pt. font. This stretched the manuscript to 656 pages. Anything more than 500 pages threatens the integrity of the format. In this case the print exceeded the right hand margin and would have been cropped. Doing it in 10 pt. reduces the number of pages to less than 450. It would be harder on the eyes but would have two advantages: it would reduce the weight and bulk of the final product, which would in turn reduce the cost, and it would require no monkeying with the margin width, something I dread and with which I am uncomfortable. I may resubmit as soon as this evening. One problem I may not be able to solve is having each chapter begin on a new page. The spacing gets lost on the upload. Meanwhile, I received stunningly good news about the process from my literary angel, Victoria Valentine. There is no fee for the set up or the printing! The author pays only for books or any extras he might choose. This all but guarantees a profit. 100 books of 450 pages will cost approximately $605. It may take a couple of years, but I'm confident I will sell them all. As long as they're not destroyed in a fire or flood, I should come out ahead. 100 books of 650 pages would have cost about $850. I love Amazon, the parent of Create Space.

My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases at today's abbreviated session of the floating book shop. I took my sister on the annual excursion to the Sea Breeze seafood shop at the corner of 18th Avenue & 85th Street. The line was out the door, but not as long as in previous years. $211 later, we're ready for Christmas Eve dinner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/21 - Sadness

Tragically, the murder of the two NYC policemen is not a surprise. The foolish among us, even several so-called leaders, are fomenting an unfortunate mentality that gives society's despicable and unbalanced elements license. Let’s pray we are not returning to the lawlessness of that late 60’s, early 70’s. Condolences to the families and friends of the slain, Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos.

Rest in Peace, sirs.

The Writer's Life 12/20 - Allegory

Several years ago I viewed a South Korean film, Mother (2009), I thought was brilliant. It was directed by Joon-Ho Bong. My admiration for it must have led me to rent Snowpiercer (2013), which I viewed last night courtesy of Netflix. Unlike the former, which is about the lengths a mom will go to protect a child, it is sci-fi, set in the future. The entire planet is under snow and ice after environmental alarmists release a gas into the atmosphere they believe will stop global warming - love it! The only survivors are aboard a super train that perpetually circles the planet, blasting through frozen formations that block the tracks. The train is a microcosm of the world, including in terms of class structure. Those at the end suffer a brutal existence. They choose to rebel. I suppose allegory is intended, and whether it works on that level will probably depend on how the viewer sees the world. I don’t see any correlation to America or any current western societies, at least not at present, although I’m sure leftists would argue to the contrary. Although the flick is not completely successful, it is never boring. I watched its 126 minutes in one sitting. There is plenty of mayhem and solid special effects to satisfy action fans. While four countries collaborated on the production, it is largely in English. Unfortunately, there is no closed captioning, and a lot of plot points may have been lost to me. Chris Evans, who plays Captain America in the movies based on Marvel Comics, is the star. John Hurt, his character a multiple amputee, is unrecognizable except for his voice. Tilda Swinton does a bizarre turn as a Nazi-like officer. Ed Harris is the genius who manufactured the train and keeps it running. I expected the ubiquitous Ron Perlman to show up, but he must have been otherwise engaged. 104,000+ users have rated the film at IMDb, forging to a consensus of seven on a scale of ten, which seems about right. Several contributors in the commentary section believe it is a classic. I disagree. The film is based on a French novel, Le Transperceneige by Rochette. Published in 1984, apparently out of print, it is being offered for $187 at Amazon. Although the film is violent, it is shot in a way that doesn’t gross out the viewer.

The madness paid off today. Although it wasn't terribly cold, there wasn't any sunshine, so I was never comfortable. Fortunately, the Chase bank blocked whatever wind there was, so I was able to put in two hours at the floating book shop. My thanks to Christopher, who bought Exchanges, to Ralph, who bought six works of non-fiction, to the gentleman who selected a young adult paperback, and to the woman who donated seven novels in pristine condition.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/19 - Next Phase

Hondo, the NY Post’s jokester pro football analyst, was in top form today. In lampooning Hollywood for pulling The Interview from theaters in light of a threat from an unknown source, he claims threats have also been leveled by frizzy-haired foster children regarding their portrayal in the latest production of Annie… And he dubbed leftist Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, who once claimed to be of American-Indian heritage in order to secure a job, Fauxcahontas… And in excoriating those who kowtow with mea culpas to the likes of Al Sharpton following tweets viewed as racist, he said: "...while the penitents shout Mayday! The Rev cries Payday!” Kudos, sir.

Gus Andreone, 103, is believed to be the oldest golfer to make a hole in one. He did it in Florida, using a driver off the tee of a 113 yard par three. The prior record is believed to be held by Elsie McLean, 102. It was Andreone’s eighth career ace. I guess there’s hope for the rest of us duffers who have never had one.

I’ve finished the proofing of my rock n roll epic, Rising Star. I found 32 errors, made changes regarding clarity, and added about a thousand words. I’ve also added a title page, and still have to add a dedication, acknowledgments, and About the Author to the file. I’m going with what my literary angel, Victoria Valentine, dubs a "poor man’s copyright." As soon as a work is published in one’s name, it is protected whether or not it is registered at the Library of Congress. After I’ve completed these final tasks, I will transfer the file to a PDF and scan it for errors in formatting. If there is something askew, I will have to figure out the problem and re-submit, unless the Create Space PDF creator allows me to correct errors. If it does, I may again read through the whole manuscript to eliminate any mistakes I’ve missed. Patience is a requisite in the literary quest.

Today marks the end of an era in Sheepshead Bay. The El Greco Diner, in business directly across from the bay for 40 years, is closing. The owners were offered a staggering 13 million for the property. Everyone assumes more condos will be going up. I couldn't think of a more ideal spot, unlike the one scheduled to be built on Sheepshead Bay Road, directly across the street from Delmar Pizzeria. Traffic there is always a mess. Once construction begins it will be infinitely worse. I hope they will be building a huge underground parking lot for the tenants.

I had no luck selling books today in the cold wind. My thanks to Marie, who donated several CDs, a DVD, a VHS and a book.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/17 - Panhandlers

In his op-ed piece in today’s NY Post, Michael Goodwin pointed out a statistic that is very telling given the ongoing protests about police treatment of minorities. In 2013 NYC cops shot at 40 suspects -- an all-time low.

I love the Post, read it every day. Today was a rare instance it disappointed me. In its article about yesterday’s atrocity in Pakistan, the headline was: Miscreants Massacre Kids. Miscreants? They are monsters. Such a headline is something I would expect from the Times or other liberal publications.

The weather has been so pleasant since Saturday. Last year at this time temperatures began running ten to 15 degrees below normal and continued to do so for most of 2014. I hope we've broken that evil pattern -- at least in winter. Operating the floating book shop has been a snap lately. Ol' Smoky stopped by today. He's been sleeping on the subway. Before he was evicted, he donated about 100 books, and I believe I've sold every one of them. Since he was so kind to me, I let him take any books that interest him. Today he chose a perfect fit, a thin paperback -- The Panhandler's Handbook by Omar the Beggar, published in 1977. I looked it up at Amazon, where two copies of "Unknown Binding" are offered for $61.85 each! There are two reviews of it, one four stars, the other five. The second is by a woman who claims the book saved her life. After she lost everything, she consulted the book and came up with a scam where she dressed like a teenager and hung out in airports, crying that she'd run away with a boyfriend who became abusive, expressing a desire to return home. She averaged $300 a day. I hope Smoky finds a scam that will serve him as well.
My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases today, and to the sweet elderly woman who donated five books.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/16 - Geniuses

Miriam-Webster has named "culture" as its word of the year. It based its conclusion on the number of times it appeared in web searches. Other words in contention were: nostalgia, insidious, je ne sais quoi (French for "an indescribable quality")  and feminism.  Another organization cited "vape," which refers to e-cigarettes, as the top word.

There were two elements in last night's episode of Scorpion that especially appealed to me. It opened with a Christmas standard playing in the background, which evolved to Black Sabbath's Iron Man as the scene shifted to inside the group's warehouse. The song reflects the anti-Christmas views of the four geniuses, whose childhoods were unpleasant. The bulk of the show took place at Zuma Beach, which is outside of L.A.. I visited it several times when I hitched out to California in July 1971. One day my buddy Dom and I hiked along the shore, climbing onto rock formations similar to the one critical to the episode in question. We traveled so far Dom suggested we hitchhike back to his car. Moments later we were riding in the back seat of a convertible driven by a young man who looked every bit a Californian.

NFL Review: The Patriots still seem far ahead of the rest of the AFC. Right now I'd say the only team that has an outside shot at beating them in Foxboro is the Steelers, if they have one of their Dr. Jekyll games. The Broncos have been unimpressive lately... In the NFC, this is the week we'll see if the Seahawks, who host Arizona, are truly back in championship form. The Cardinals somehow keep winning despite woes at QB... Its nice that Lions' fans, for a change, have been treated to resilient victories rather than gut-wrenching defeats, but I'd be surprised if they won a playoff game on the road... How 'bout those Cowboys? They turned the tables on the Eagles in Philly just two weeks after having been embarrassed by them at home... It's possible that an 11-5 team may miss the playoffs. That would be a shame, especially if the NFC South is won by a team with a sub-.500 record. How about a rule change -- a division winner must finish at least .500 or it will forfeit its place in the post-season?    

I had a visit from someone I hadn't seen for at least two years, our only meeting. He remembered so much about me that I was stunned at first. Then I recalled him speaking Yiddish to Hacids who happened to be passing, although he isn't Jewish. He looks Irish but may be Italian. He was sipping from a cup and smelled as if he'd been drinking, same as last time I saw him. I suspect he has a genius IQ and cannot curb hyperactivity, much like the characters on Scorpion. He has made a New Year's resolution to change, to fulfill his vast potential. Best of luck, sir, and thanks for brightening my day. Thanks also to the kind folks who made purchases, and to one of my biggest supporters, Marie, who donated books and CDs. I gave her a copy of Exchanges as thanks. I know she try to read it and, if she likes it, will post a review at Amazon.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/15 - Angels

There's no one in politics I respect more than Dick Cheney. He will speak his mind and not be cowed by political correctness. He will go the extra yard to protect Americans of all stripes, even those who criticize him. There's no one I'd rather see out front than Cheney -- as long as he isn't carrying a shotgun.

I’ve begun to query my literary angel, Victoria Valentine of Water Forest Press, about publishing through Create Space, an arm of Amazon. I still I have the PDF file she used to publish Adjustments. I was up at 4:30 this morning, looking through it, studying the formatting. I questioned her about the pages she left blank, in essence six, with one only bearing the title, although it is not the title page. The novel's text doesn't begin until the 13th page. I also looked into acquiring an ISBN number, which allows the book to be sold at most venues. Create Space provides one for free and also offers two others for a fee. If I understood the options correctly, I see no advantage in selecting either of the two that one has to pay for. I also looked into a copyright. After having no commercial success, it almost seems silly and pretentious to get one, but I will if I can do it electronically, even if I won’t receive the Library of Congress number for months. When I self-published Close to the Edge in 2000, AuthorHouse, then called First Books Library, handled everything after I submitted the file. This is a bit more daunting, although Victoria assures me it’s an easy process. It will be great if the site’s PDF converter will allow me to make corrections to the manuscript. Since I don’t have the program on my PC, I’ve been able only to read such files. I have 44 pages left to proof. I’m trying not to rush. I do only one chapter per sitting. Through 395 pages, I’ve found 29 errors, the latest a period where a question mark should have been. I’ve enjoyed it, although I realize that personal attachment to one’s work is no indication of its value. Artists who failed colossally have the same bias toward their work as those who have succeeded either commercially or esthetically or both. Time and the public are the final arbiters of worth.

It seemed it was going to be a disappointing session for the floating book shop. Fortunately, the benign conditions allowed me to stay open a little longer than usual for a December day. Natalya and Benedict donated four mysteries and one romance in Russian, and a gentleman purchased a couple of boxes of nails, and it seemed that would be it until Jen came along. Last time I saw her I offered her Close to the Edge at a steep discount, which she'd planned to pick up on her return from the doctor. It rained before she made it back. Today we hooked up. And minutes later a gentleman came along and purchased two CDs I burned recently: Ultimate Jazz and Showstoppers, which more than made up for the loss I took on the book. Thanks, folks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/14 - Dutch Treats

The Sunday NY Post was filled with articles rehashing political arguments and the social faux pas of celebrities. One brief item made the entire exploration of the tabloid worth it. File it under The Crazy Things We Do for Love. A Dutchman's elaborate marriage proposal went awry when the crane he rented toppled and crashed through a neighbor’s roof. He intended to play a song and pop the question at his girlfriend’s window. He wasn’t hurt, she said yes, and they headed to Paris for some real romance, leaving insurance adjusters to deal with the mess. Here's a pic:

Kudos to ten-year NBA vet Jarrett Jack of the Brooklyn Nets, who was awarded his college degree yesterday, fulfilling his mom's wish. He left Georgia Tech after his junior year, chasing his pro basketball dream. He's averaged just shy of eleven points per game in his career, playing for seven different team. His major was Business Management, which should prove practical, given that the league minimum for players of his tenure is $1,448,490. There's also a two-page article in the Post's op-ed section by Larry Getlen on the squandered fortunes of several NFLers. When his playing days are done, maybe Jack can start his own business as a financial adviser to pro athletes.

Adam, a young Polish immigrant who works construction, has purchased many books from the floating book shop, mostly sci-fi. A few weeks ago he was evicted from his apartment. I didn't ask the details. He's now living in a friend's basement. Today he bought A Hitch in Twilight. I asked him to pay whatever he could afford. He gave me what I usually charge, ten bucks. As a thank you I gave him a paperback and hardcover in his favorite genre. 15 minutes later he came back with a bag filled with books I'd sold him. Most are obscure, but there are one each by Bradbury, LeGuin and Crichton among the batch. My thanks, sir, and to the elderly woman who bought a beautiful pictorial on Spain in Russian.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/13/14 - Imagination

I'd much rather watch sci-fi on film or TV than read it in a novel or short story. Last night I viewed Radio Free Albemuth (2010), courtesy of Netflix. It is based on a novel from the VALIS trilogy by Phillip K. Dick, who is held in high esteem by lovers of the genre, including writers and filmmakers. The film is unlike what passes for most sci-fi these days, more cerebral and far less dependent on break neck action and fantastic effects. The story is set in an alternate America where the President is in his 15th year of office. The citizens do not enjoy the freedoms synonymous with the greatest country on earth. A man begins receiving mental messages from an alien satellite, encouraging rebellion. If it is commentary on the political and social scene, or what the author foresaw, I don't see a connection to the real America. I take it as the product of a vivid imagination. Although I'm not sure I understood all of the elements, I got the gist and enjoyed it. I did not hit the pause button once in its near two hour running time. Although I liked it, something was missing and a air of authenticity lacking. There have been twelve screen adaptations of Dick's works. Total Recall was filmed twice (1990/2012). Others are planned. This is especially impressive given that the author passed away in 1982 at the age of 53. After suffering a series of strokes that left him brain dead, his family decided to pull the plug on his life support system. He won several awards, the most prestigious the Hugo in 1962 for The Man in the High Castle, which imagined what the world would have been like had the Nazis won. I didn't like it, perhaps because I lack sufficient imagination for such a scenario. I have not read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? That book became Blade Runner (1982), one of the greatest sci-fi films ever. Radio Free Albemuth hearkens to the pre-Star Wars era, slower moving, an emphasis on dialogue and ideas. The three leads, Jonathan Scarfe, Shea Whigham and Katheryn Winnick were vaguely familiar. Each has extensive credits on the big and small screen. Alannis Morissette has a smaller yet pivotal role. Scott Wilson, who has had a great career playing oddballs, is the President. John Alan Simon adapted the novel and directed, his only credit at the helm. On a scale of five, I rate it three. 670 users have rated it at IMDb, forging to a consensus of six of ten.    

Today's session of the floating book shop manifested just how unpredictable an endeavor it is. Despite near perfect weather, there was hardly a sniff of interest from passersby, which really seemed odd, given the fact that I sold books on Monday, Thursday and Friday despite extremely unfriendly conditions. Tomorrow's another day.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/12 - Ions

Kudos to Fox for sticking with Gracepoint despite low ratings. Episode ten was riveting. The series is unlike most network dramas, which go for the spectacular. It is grounded, realistic, geared toward adults. I look forward to the last two episodes.
There was a particularly amusing moment on Elementary last night. When Holmes and company approach the office of the NYC FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, he sniffs contemptuously and rips into it as ineffective. Apparently, the writers were having fun with CBS’s wildly successful Criminal Minds, which is based on the work of that unit. Reruns of its first three seasons must be into their 50th showing on ION. The show taps into America’s fascination with serial killers. I once viewed it with keen interest. I now can’t stomach more than a few minutes of it. Yet I’m enjoying the syndicated run of the violent The Walking Dead. It’s easy to rationalize that the killing of zombies is not on a par with the violence perpetrated by the psychopaths on innocents on Criminal Minds, but the show also includes much human on human mayhem. Its redeeming feature is the exploration of the dynamics of survival. I find myself wondering what I would in the situations.

I expected a warming trend to begin today. It was colder than yesterday. Fortunately, the sun popped out now and then to keep me from freezing. I didn't have to take shelter in my car until the last half hour of the session. My thanks to Joan, who bought a discount copy of A Hitch in Twilight and promised a critique, and to Mikhail, who purchased Tolstoy's War and Peace in Russian, and to the woman who bought Agatha Christie's A Pocketful of Rye, first published in 1953. The woman always reminds me to be on the lookout for any book by Margaret Yorke, another Brit who specializes in mysteries, which seem the UK's national pastime. I don't recall having ever seen one.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/11 - Cultures

Have you ever imagined living in a foreign country? How about one that has a completely different culture? It’s not something that interests me. I’m one of those weirdos who does not even like to travel. I do occasionally dream of moving to a warmer climate within the U.S., especially this time of year, but I don’t know if I’ll ever do it. In Losing Kei, a novel by Suzanne Kamata, the author portrays one westerner’s experience living in Japan -- a young artist who marries and bears a son. Apparently, it doesn’t wholly reflect Kamata’s own life, as she still lives there and is the mother of twins. I’d guess the work is a combination of her own experiences and that of friends and acquaintances. While the character of the central figure is revealed to a large extent, that of the others is not. This is especially disappointing in the portraits of her husband and mother in law, although the latter is easily imagined. Her mate is almost a complete mystery. Are they stereotypes? I'm not sure, but it is wrong for readers to base the character of an entire society on the actions and words of a few of its citizens. The novel’s best aspect is the love of the mother for her little boy. It is frequently touching. There is an element of suspense, but it never really takes off. That may be said of the entire work. The dialogue and prose are fine. My only quibble is with the overuse of “that,” which is often problematic and which I’m sure most readers wouldn’t even notice. The 180 or so pages read more like 150. On a scale of five, I’d rate it 2.5. The nine users who have rated it at Amazon disagree, forging to a consensus of four out of five. This was Kamata’s first novel. It followed a story collection. She has eight books in print overall, two in non-fiction. She is a five-time Pushcart nominee and, unlike yours truly, has won awards and contests. I will go the sexist route and say Losing Kei will probably appeal more to women. It’s largest appeal would likely be to those with experience in interracial relationships.

I’ve proofed 345 pages of my rock n roll epic, Rising Star. I have less than a hundred to go. I hope I’m not rushing it, but the foul weather has confined me to the apartment and I try to use the time productively. I’ve found 24 errors, stated certain thoughts more clearly, and made a few additions that have not added even a single page to the manuscript. When I finish this phase, I will query my literary angel, Victoria Valentine of Water Forest Press. She uses Create Space for all her books. I’m not sure if I have to include a title page or if they will do it automatically. And I’d like to know if the About the Author and Acknowledgments have to be submitted separately. Despite the commercial failure of my other books, I’m still excited. I believe it’s a good, entertaining story, but I have reservations about a few of the plot machinations, and I'm sure that anyone who has worked behind the scenes in the music industry, especially the business side, will know it was written by an outsider.

The book shop was a last minute decision, a go when I found the wind wasn't as fierce as the radio forecaster said it would be. Still, it was cold and flurries were in the air, even when the sun was out. My thanks to the middle aged woman who bought an odd pairing:  Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa by Mark Mathabane, and Assassins, a thriller whose author escapes me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/10 - Sentences

The Flash TV series is surprising in one sense -- a considerable focus on the personal relationships of the characters, and doing it well. Of course, the action aspects are what one would expect these days -- dazzling fun… Last night I had my first look at ABC’s Forever, as Person of Interest was preempted by a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. I’d regretted not turning to the former, as the latter has become silly, almost a parody of itself. I wasn’t impressed with Forever, which has a similar premise as the Highlander film series, an immortal at its center. Perhaps this is attributable to the fact that I missed the first ten episodes. It does have at least one thing going for it -- the red hot Alana De La Garza as a detective. She's made numerous appearances on several Law and Order incarnations as ADA Rubirosa.

There have been countless examples of bizarre judicial decisions in America. Here's another: Bernie Madoff's secretary, Annette Bongiorno, was facing up to life in prison after being convicted of securities fraud and tax-evasion for helping her ex-boss pull off his epic $17.5 billion swindle, and profiting handsomely from it. The Ponzi schemer's diminutive, longtime girl friday dodged life in prison when a Manhattan federal judge sentenced her to a mere six years, in part because she’s a mere 4-feet, 6-inches tall. Not only that, Judge Laura Taylor Swain, roughly 5-feet, 3-inches herself, gave Bongiorno, 66, less jail time than what even her own lawyer asked. Her explanation? “Her age and her unusually small stature might also put her in a vulnerable position in a prison facility.” Although I don't have much sympathy for the bamboozled, who were a victim of their own greed as much as Madoff's, this is ridiculous. Would it surprise anyone if Bongiorno is released after a year? What's to deter others from taking a risk on not being caught?

I had a hop in my step during my morning walk, as it looked like there would be a book shop today. Alas, when I exited the building at eleven, there was a light mist in the air. I hauled two crates of books to the viaduct at E. 15th, and gave up after an hour, as the mist intensified and the stiff wind blew it far into my sheltered space. The only thing accomplished was the ruining of the cover of a copy of Exchanges. Any dampness not addressed immediately will raise bubbles in the lamination. It will now sell at a deep discount. At least I was in the house an hour-and-a-half less than yesterday. Maybe tomorrow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/9 - Trauma

NFL Week in Review: The Patriots are still the team to beat… The Steelers continue their Jekyll and Hyde season, blowing out the Bengals in Cincinnati, closing to within a half game of the division lead. Not only do they have a great passer in Big Ben, but Le’Veon Bell, in his second season, is as good as any back in the league. He has rushed for 1231 yards, 5.1 per carry, and caught 71 passes for 693 yards… The Seahawks continue their rise but still aren’t where they were Super Bowl Sunday… The Cardinals continue their amazing resilience. They will be tested Thursday night, traveling to St. Louis. The Rams, having posted back to back shutouts, are suddenly scary. Their emergence has probably come too late to secure them a spot in the playoffs, so they can throw all caution to the wind and take chances contenders would be reluctant to try. In a word, they are dangerous… The 49ers seem dead, their offense MIA despite apparent talent. Two years ago they chose Colin Kaepernick over Alex Smith at QB. At present, neither is playing well. Smith has failed to rally the Chiefs vs. the woeful Raiders and the depleted Cardinals, all but ending their post-season hopes. Their wide-outs have not caught a single TD pass all season -- unbelievable in this era.

Political correctness is often nauseating, particularly that practiced by colleges. Columbia University has taken it to an absurd level. The Ivy league bastion is allowing any student "traumatized" by the Grand Jury decisions of Ferguson and Staten Island to postpone exams and assignments. I doubt even eye witnesses were traumatized. What nonsense. I suggest years of psychoanalysis for any student traumatized by the events.

The Senate has released a report on the practices of the CIA following 9/11. Reaction follows partisan lines. Terrorists, who mercilessly butcher thousands, will no doubt use it to their advantage. The left will cite it as proof of the evil of Republicans. As far as I know, none of the tortured were killed. President Obama's drone policy has killed hundreds of civilians. Will there be a Senate investigation of it in the future?

The floating book shop was rained out by a Nor'easter forecasters say will linger another day. This leads to eye strain.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/8 - Omen

The first highest level college football playoffs are set. Four schools are included: Florida St., Oregon, Ohio St. and Alabama. Two worthy teams are being screwed: Baylor and TCU, each having only one loss. Had the system been set for a more reasonable eight team playoff, Mississippi St. and Michigan St. might have been included and no one would have been screwed, although I’m sure there would have been complaints from coaches and fans of good teams on the outside looking in. This season’s result will be as unsatisfying as the two-team, one game format has been since it was instituted in 2003. The other three divisions of college football all have an extensive playoff format. Its ridiculous that the highest level does not.

I've proofed 294 pages, of 439, of my rock n roll epic, Rising Star, and found 23 errors. The latest was the use of "form" instead of "from." I've made slight changes in word usage and made many small additions, less than a page worth so far. When I'm done I'll transfer it to an adobe file and see how it looks. I'm not sure if I'll have to create a title page or if Create Space will do it. I know they provide tools for cover art. I'll explore the full process when the file is ready. I don't want to say when that will be, although things are looking pretty good right now. The most daunting aspect is the fear of not finding obvious errors that will make the book seem amateurish.

Upon returning from Stop n Shop this morning, I moved my car, hoping to get a parking spot close to the nook where I set up the floating book shop. Only one opened up in the half hour I waited -- and it was the best one, right at the corner. I wondered if it was a good omen, then laughed at myself, thinking it was just as likely to lead to a fool's errand. I left the apartment at eleven. When I opened the trunk there was such a blast of cold wind that I almost bailed. Since the forecast for the next two days is glum, and since I had eight books and five DVDs in Russian, I decided to give it a shot. In such weather I'd alternate between standing outside and sitting in the car. Conditions were so harsh today that I left the Hyundai only if someone lingered at the display. Miraculously, I had great luck. Natalya and Benedict bought two novels in their native tongue. A young woman purchased T.C. Boyle's East is East and Jill McCorkle's Final Vinyl Days. Then another bought The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas, a beautifully illustrated children's book several people, to my surprise, had passed on. And then I spotted someone who looked familiar, bundled up against the cold. To my delight, it was Lev, one of my best customers. He bought up all the DVDs and three thrillers in Russian. Of the four remaining books in Russian, two are classics by Tolstoy: Anna Karenina and War and Peace, which I suppose most Russians already own. I guess it was a good omen. Or maybe it was just one of those sessions where the madness pays off. Thanks, folks. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/7 - War & Peace

73 years ago today the Japanese staged their infamous attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 2403 U.S. servicemen and sinking 21 ships. They paid a steep price for their that treachery and the savagery they perpetrated elsewhere, especially in China. Today it is an ally, a positive global economic force. Will the same be true of America’s current enemies? Russia is dangerous and likely to become more so if the price of oil remains at this level or continues to slide and its economy goes in the tank. China is an economic dynamo. Will it be satisfied simply to continue to lift millions of its citizens out of poverty, or will it try to expand its territories? I doubt there is any hope in the battle against Islamist fanatics. But life is always surprising. Who would have thought that Hiroshima and Nagasaki would become thriving cities, given their nuclear devastation in 1945? Here are pics of each, Hiroshima first:

Recently, a football-sized truffle -- more than four pounds -- was found in Umbria, Italy. The previous largest was 2.5 pounds. Yesterday it was auctioned at Sotheby’s for $61,250 to a food lover on the phone in Taiwan. Bon appetit. Here’s what the fungus looks like:

Peggy Noonan’s column runs in the NY Post every Sunday. Today she described Senate Majority leader Harry Reid as a “small town undertaker who never gets around to telling you the cost of the casket.” Spot on, brilliant. Kudos, Madam.

I thought I'd be freezing my buns off at the floating book shop today, but the wind was blocked by the Chase Bank, as has happened so often, and it was actually quite pleasant. My thanks to Renzo, who bought a combination of five boxes of screws and nails, and the young gentleman who bought The Incompatibility of Men and Women by Julius Fast. Hope it helps.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 12/6 - Turkeys

I’ve been having dreams about umpiring. This morning's involved a new batch chosen by a softball league. I was not among the selected. At first I thought the dreams had to do with never having been nominated for a literary award, or readers passing on my books. I now believe they're about the recent Grand Jury decisions in Ferguson and Staten Island, although I suppose they can be about both. The latest took a seemingly weird tangent. A middle age Asian woman carved a huge slab of white meat from a turkey, which prompted me to remark: “Boy, you have some appetite.” “I certainly do,” she replied, sitting at the table and digging in. The meat looked like a mattress. I wonder if it symbolized, in my subconscious, white police officers being metaphorically eaten alive by protestors and media detractors. The use of “certainly” may reflect my puzzlement at their certainty.

Several months ago I had the good fortune to read Louise Penny’s A Fatal Grace, as good a mystery as I’ve ever sampled, the second in her award winning Inspector Gamache series. Last night, courtesy of Netflix, I viewed Still Life (2013), based on the first novel in the series, which I haven‘t read. As is usually the case, it is not nearly as satisfying as a book. It fails to deliver the detailed characterizations the author so expertly portrays, especially in the case of the arrogant, embittered female assistant, who I assume Penny fleshes out throughout the series. The commentary section at IMDb is almost universal in stating disappointment with the Canadian production and unfamiliar cast. One aspect it did get right is the location, which is just like the idyllic small town outside Montreal described in the novel. 91 users have rated the film, forging to a consensus of 5.5 of ten, a tad low. I rate it three on a scale of five. I must also say that I miss a lot when there is no close captioning. Many nuances in dialogue or plot points might have escaped me. I had no problem with the cast. It is almost impossible to find an exact match to a literary character. I did chuckle at the black woman’s appearance. She was a lot younger and slimmer than her literary counterpart. She was entirely in the background in the film, whereas she had a larger, though minor role in A Fatal Grace. What sets that work apart from genre works is the accurate depiction of humanity, not only the criminal but the average person.

The floating book shop was rained out today. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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