Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/30 - Oddities

Here are some silly factoids I've come across lately:
Viagra dissolved in water can make cut flowers stand up straight for up to a week beyond their natural lifespan. And millions of men everywhere are grateful.
One particularly monstrous black hole has probably been humming B flat for billions of years, but at a pitch no human could hear, astronomers say. It's probably a better musician than I am.
In John Carpenter's horror classic Halloween (1978), the mask Micheal Myers wears as he kills everyone was bought off the shelf, a William Shatner Captain Kirk mask. He has always given me the creeps.
Willie Nelson, 81, recently qualified as a fifth degree black belt. Wow.
Alleged racist NBA team owner Donald Sterling was about to receive an award from the NAACP when the controversy started. He received its Humanitarian Award in 2009. He has written the organization several checks. Money makes strange bedfellows.
Former pro wrestling star The Iron Sheik is the subject of a new film, The Sheik. He was profiled in an article in today's NY Post. Two circumstances were eye-opening. Here's a link to the doc: http://sheikmovie.com/ 
And here's a pic of him with the manager who guided him to WWF title, Ayatollah Fred Blassie. "Bali, bali!"

My favorite Met of all-time, Mookie Wilson, has written a book, co-authored by Erik Sherman: Life, Baseball, and the '86 Mets. It is available in hardcover, Kindle and audio at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mookie-Life-Baseball-%C2%9286-Mets/dp/0425271323/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1398862290&sr=1-1 Here is the text of Bob Murphy's great call of the bizarre ending of Game Six of the World Series: "Mookie Wilson still hopes to win it for New York ... 3-2 the count ... And the pitch by Stanley ... And a ground ball trickling ... It's a fair ball. It gets by Buckner! Rounding third is Knight ... The Mets will win the ballgame ... They Mets win! They win!" Hard to believe it was 28 years ago.

It may be time to build an ark. I went out three times today, hours apart, and conditions were equally miserable. At least I'd planned chores to fill the hours. The first thing I did was take my car to the shop to address the worn front brakes my mechanic spotted during inspection last month. At mid day I cashed recyclables and did a little shopping, then picked up the car. A half hour ago I hit Waj's gyro stand. The chicken wasn't ready, so I had the lamb. It was fresh and delicious. Hopefully the forecast is correct and the rain will cease in the AM. It's supposed to be in the 70's tomorrow. That's hard to believe given how raw it is today.
For the fourth straight month the floating book shop's take increased. Still small potatoes, though.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/29 - Producer

I'd posted on Facebook that I'd be selling books at 11:30, weather permitting. As I left my apartment and walked down the stairs I heard the wind whistling. The flag in front was stiff. When I got to my car I seriously considered forgoing the endeavor. Only the fact that tomorrow is supposed to be a complete washout kept me from going home. I didn't take the books to my usual nook. I set up shop right outside my car in case it starting pouring. I felt mighty dumb when a couple of my Russian regulars passed on the classics I had on display. Then suddenly Charlie Addessi, one of my old charges when I coached at our alma mater, Lafayette H.S., appeared. He'd seen the post. I was stunned that he'd made the trip from Bay Ridge on such a bleak day. Although he recently divorced after 22 years of marriage, he's doing well. He looks great, like he's ready to play ball. He's been chasing an artistic dream too, in his case film-making. He has six titles listed under his name at IMDb as a producer, one as a director, Wannabes (2000), a mob film. Although he asked to have his name removed from The Wall Street Conspiracy (2012), a documentary, he is listed as an associate. The project was his baby to start, and he was shunted to the side, the final product not resembling his vision. He said it taught him a lesson -- to do it on his own. He has raised one million for his next project, and hired Lupita Nyong'o, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave (2013). He hopes to get Morgan Freeman to star, and Oprah to participate in some way. He has a big meeting coming up this week. He asked if any of my books were suitable for the screen. I suggested A Hitch in Twilight, and he bought it. I'll try not to think about anything major coming from this. It's always a long shot, and I'm so ensconced and comfortable at the bottom of the literary totem pole that the thought of moving up is scary. My thanks, Charlootz. Best of luck. 

RIP Jack Ramsay, 89, a PhD in education and basketball lifer. He coached at St. Joe's in Philly and had a record of 234-72. In 20 seasons in the NBA his teams went 864-783. He had his biggest success in Portland, where the Trailblazers won the title in 1977. In his first year as GM of the 76ers, 1967, the team won the league championship. Well done, coach.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/28 - Shipping

E. Annie Proulx’s second novel, The Shipping News, won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in 1994. Reading the first few pages, I thought it would be a rare book I gave up on. I’m glad I stayed with it, although it was a challenging read, mostly because of the author’s fondness for run-on sentences. I also thought she was unusually hard on the characters in the beginning. I felt zero empathy. Fortunately that changed. I was treated to a setting, Newfoundland, with which I was completely unfamiliar, although I can find it on a map. Why people would choose to live in such a harsh climate is beyond me, but the fact that some do made the narrative all the more interesting. There is no plot here. This is an intimate look at the lives of realistic figures. The protagonist is a big lug who grew up under difficult circumstances that engendered a poor self image. He is easy to root for, as are his two adolescent daughters. The struggles of the family and the other residents of the small town are at once common to humanity and unusual because of where they take place. I enjoyed the various dialects, and the quirks of the players. Proulx has homes in both Wyoming and Newfoundland, and her knowledge of place and writing skills account for the authentic feel of the novel. Many of the run-on sentences were stream of conscious thoughts. I was often confused whose they were, but this may have been the result of my own haste or inattentiveness rather the fault of the critically acclaimed author. Curious, I checked the book’s ranking at Amazon. It’s still selling modestly. 20 years after its publication, it is 26,000th+. The 573 contributors who have rated it forge to a consensus of four stars out of five. I agree. Proulx has written three other novels, four short story collections and several works of non-fiction, several of which have garnered awards. She is 78. She found commercial success with a novel one would think as uncommercial as can be. Kudos. I added the movie version to my list at Netflix. As great an actor as Kevin Spacey is, I can't imagine him as the lead, certainly not physically.

ABC’s Resurrection continues to enthrall. Last night scores of people began returning from the dead, not as zombies but as how they appeared before their demise. The ending was terrific. It had a Sheriff running home, hoping his unfaithful wife had returned. His adult daughter knew better and found her at the house of the man with whom she’d been having an affair. Hardcore.

L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling, 81, has been taking massive heat for racially insensitive comments. He should think about writing hip hop.

I put aside the Russian books today, added literary prize winners to the crates, and headed to Park Slope, supposedly one of the most literate neighborhoods in Brooklyn. It worked. A young woman overpaid for four of them, and a middle age one bought two odd books of non-fiction and a best of Eurythmics CD. Thank you, ladies.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/27 - Nostalgia

I was waxing nostalgic last night. AntennaTV, 114 on Cablevision in NYC, ran back to back black and white monster flicks from the 1950’s, It Came from beneath the Sea (‘55) and 20 Million Miles to Earth (‘57). The legendary Ray Harryhausen worked on the visual effects on each, long before anyone even dreamed of CGI. An amusing note at IMDb said that the budget for the former was so small there was money enough only for six rather than eight octopus tentacles. The error was avoided by rarely showing the entire behemoth. I saw both movies at Saturday matinee double features at the Benson Theater back in the day. The poor, obese matron had the thankless job of trying to keep the children in line. She failed miserably, frequently bombarded by candy. I tried not to laugh. The only time the kids piped down was when the beasts appeared. When I first began attending, the cost of a ticket may have been as low as a dime. Eventually it rose to fifty cents, still plenty left over from mom’s dollar to get Jujy Fruits and popcorn. I used to keep a journal listing the horror movies I’d seen. For years such films were shown regularly on independent channels. It’s great to have the option of dipping back into the past, which AntennaTV and CoziTV provide. Here are posters of the aforementioned titles:

I had a subscription to Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, which worried mom. It was an early sign that I'd become a twisted adult who'd resort to writing. Its first incarnation ran from 1958-1983, its second from 1993-2008. It was revived online and then back in print and continues to this day. Here's the link: famousmonsters.com And here's one of its great covers from the early days:

It looked like it was going to be a barren day for the floating book shop until, two hours into the session, a little girl convinced her grandma to buy a book for her. Bad News Billy showed up 15 minutes before closing time and saved the day, as he has so many times, buying the double disc DVD of The Great Gatsby (2013) and two books on sports. Then, as I was packing up, a Russian couple purchased a couple of books in their native language. Thanks, folks.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/26 - Dropouts

Last night I caught up to Captain Phillips (2013), courtesy of Netflix. I was riveted, didn’t hit the pause button once the entire 2:15 running time. Tom Hanks brings his usual brilliance to the lead, but the real stars are the four men, who had no prior acting experience, in the roles of the Somali pirates. The film is an adaptation of the protagonist’s book: A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, co-written with Stephan Talty. How much of it is true and how much is creative license? I don’t know and don’t care. In the contributors’ comments at IMDb, someone pointed out that Phillips is being sued. He may not have been as heroic as he is in the movie. I expect books and documentaries to be historically accurate, not Hollywood fare. I want films to entertain or move me, preferably both. This is an entertaining film. It is fair to the pirates in that it presents reasons for their actions other than the desire for filthy lucre. The rationales didn't persuade me. I don’t care if they’re poor or if their village is threatened by the powerful thugs who employ them. I want anyone who tries to hijack a ship, or commit any violent crime, to meet a nasty fate. The suspense here, since it is common knowledge that the Captain survived, is the fate of everyone else, the thieves included. One of the best aspects of the work is the depiction of the professionalism of the ship’s crew and the armed forces personnel who rush to the rescue. It is refreshing to see the military in a positive light. Modern auteurs have so often portrayed those who serve negatively. Kudos to director Paul Greengrass, who seems to have the action genre mastered. He was also at the helm of The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), an excellent track record. On a scale of five, I rate Captain Phillips four. The 427 film buffs who rated it at IMDb agree, forging to a consensus of eight of ten.




I was disappointed by the political posts of two friends at Facebook. They were personal. I enjoy those that focus on the foolish policies and comments of leftists, but some people cross the line. The first was a hit on the President, an ugly rumor. The second featured two lists: left wing celebrity high school dropouts, and Republican college graduates. It smacks of the same liberal elitism that considers most of American "fly-over country." I have the utmost respect for what those dropouts accomplished. School isn't for everybody. I hated it myself. I doubt there were many university students more fake than I. My degree is 99% baloney. If I'd been serious about education, I'd have majored in Liberal Arts. Instead I cut corners and cheated. And despite the diploma, my accomplishments pale compared to those of the people on that list.


My thanks to the kind folks who purchased books in both English and Russian today. The highlight of the session was the appearance of Giulia, who used to work at the Exchange. She looked great. She is a mom of two, seven and eight. One is receiving First Communion next week and she has been running around like a crazy person to prepare. She was one of the first readers of Close to the Edge, way back in 2000 or 2001. She has a Kindle. I mentioned that the electronic version of Exchanges is only two bucks. She will recognize many of the players, despite their fictional monikers. Although my batting average in enticing passersby to try my books on Kindle is zero, I fought off the sense of futility and suggested it.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/25 - Five Cents

The floating book shop was surrounded by bustling activity today. 40 yards away, at the juncture of Avenue Z & Sheepshead Bay Road, Con Ed workers were installing a telephone poll, two huge rigs hampering traffic. 30 yards into East 13th, another crew was filling a large excavation in the garden of the apartment building with a 5' x 8' cement bunker. The repair of the damage done by Hurricane Sandy is near completion. The corner apartment is being painted. Soon the ground floor flats of the entire block will again be available to rent.

My thanks to the Russian gentleman who bought a stack of books in his native tongue, to the young man who overpaid for one on music, and to the guy who did a one for three swap.

Here are the opening passages from my first novel, Five Cents, which is unpublished. I began it on a November night in 1975 when I’d determined that coaching and teaching were not going to be my life. The original manuscript was filled with a young man’s know-it-all opinions -- before I learned to allow the reader to reach his/her own conclusions. When I first acquired a computer and began transferring hard copies into digital files, I made many changes to my works. The book in question was pared considerably, perhaps by as much as half. Its original bias was decidedly liberal. If it still has one at all it leans right. It’s about a Vietnam veteran readjusting to civilian life. It is not the stereotypical tale of an ex-soldier on the brink of explosion. It’s a love story and a portrait of those troubled times. Many are nostalgic for the late 60's and early 70's. I am not. The biggest difference between Five Cents and my other novels, published and unpublished, is that there are no Italian-American characters at the forefront. In fact, there is only one very minor goombah character. It is populated by what Frankie "Five Angels" Pentangeli dubbed "Waspises" in The Godfather Part II (1974). It’s set in a college town I patterned after Kalamazoo, Michigan. The excerpt is equivalent to one page:

     A bead of sweat trickled down Tom’s back, accelerating as it descended, sending a chill down his spine. The warm, gentle breeze stirred the grass, casting a sweet scent into the air. He could see far beyond the open field to where the trees in the distance seemed to touch the sky. He was reminded of early morning on a campus a zillion miles away. His throat was dry, but the rest of his body was soaked with perspiration. He would not reach for his canteen for fear that it would break his concentration. He sensed trouble.   
    The men moved cautiously. They were ordinary young Americans from all walks of life bound by duty. Tom was exhausted, dogged by the stillness. He heard the squirming in his stomach and the squishing of his boots in the soft earth.
    Suddenly there was a roar to his right, then an all too familiar bloodcurdling scream. His weapon flew from his grip. His entire life, 20 odd years, flashed before his eyes. He fell forward, right arm and nose absorbing the impact.                                                           
    He lay face down, unable to move, body numb. He did not know if he’d even lost consciousness. He could not see. He knew only that he was alive. He heard gunfire and explosions in the distance. He noted a ringing in his ear.                                                   
    Someone turned him over. The face was a blur.                                                                 
    “Hang on, big guy,” said the man.
    Tom could barely hear him. He was soon hoisted onto a stretcher. He clung to a medallion. He lay helpless. He was afraid, should the fighting resume, that he would be left to die, although he knew of no one who’d been abandoned by his comrades in arms. He’d always wondered if he would make a hypocrisy of his disbelief in time of peril. He did not pray, but he wasn’t proud of himself, either. There was a person in whom he believed, but she seemed as far removed as God. He feared he would never see her again and he stifled the urge to cry out at the pain it caused him. 
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx         

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/24 - Talent

Fans of ABC's country prime time soap, Nashville, had a real treat last night -- highlights from a concert the cast and songwriters did at the legendary Ryman Auditorium, where artists of many genres dream of performing. They did the full songs, which rarely run more than a minute on the show. The most satisfying aspect of this dynamic series is the authenticity of the music. Remember how lame and artificial fictional bands on TV and in the movies sounded, especially in the 60's and 70's? Fortunately, this is no longer the case, as proved by the beautiful ballad Falling Slowly from Once (2006) and the bouncy pop title track from That Thing You Do (1996). I was very interested to see how Hayden Panettierre would fare singing live. She acquitted herself well, staying within her range. The others were terrific. Man, there are a lot of talented people in this world. Fortunately, America is a country that allows anyone with drive and perseverance to pursue a dream. The most curious aspect of the concert was the absence of Connie Britton, the series' star, who also is one of its producers. I wonder if there is a storyline similar to what occurs in the program behind it. The soundtrack is available for download. No clip from the show has yet been posted at youtube. Here is a version of one of the songs, the haunting This Town, performed by Chip Esten, who portrays the alcoholic Deacon Claybourne, and Clare Bowen, who portrays his niece, Scarlett O'Connor. During interviews last night, Bowen, who is Australian, and Sam Palladio, British, spoke in their normal accents, not southern drawl.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZXsZ7YvXHk

Great news: despite an administration fundamentally opposed to traditional forms of energy (Keystone Pipeline again delayed), U.S. stockpiles of crude oil are at their highest since 1937, enjoying the most production in 26 years.

Today I had a visit from Political Man, who bemoaned that his co-op, on which he sits on the board, paid $600,000 in real estate taxes and another $100,000 in water taxes. I said he couldn't both support the expensive liberal programs he loves and oppose higher taxes. "I know," he said, hanging his head, suffering a momentary loss of faith. He quickly recovered, laying his usual spiel on Big Mike, a disappointed Democrat who called the President an anti-semite. That got PM's dander up and the two went at it verbally for a moment. To review: PM spends $500 a month on pot, more on his massive CD collection, and receives Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps, despite the fact that his partner "has money," as he puts it. Maybe he should ask for one of those exemptions unions get from Obamacare. After all, he is on the side of the angels.

The sun shined brilliantly today. Unfortunately, the breeze was still stiff. As I stood at the floating book shop waiting for buyers, a Bob Dylan song popped into my head: "...Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your mouth/Blowing down the back roads headin' south..." Certain weather conditions heighten the sense of futility of the endeavor. It looked like it would be a rare session of zilch, then Alan showed and bought Exchanges, my only sale of the day. He' d thrown me a curve, as he'd been eying A Hitch in Twilight for months. I hope he doesn't regret it. Thank you, sir, and to Simon, my next door neighbor, who donated two more boxes of classics in Russian.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/23 - Action

Here's an article I found following a link to Herman Cain's Facebook page. I whittled it down by half: "To the extent that poverty can be addressed by public policy, there is a big problem: neither party sees political advantage in really trying to make that happen. Democrats benefit when poverty persists and their political allies in the poverty industry enjoy the steady flow of public funds, especially as low-income voters continue to embrace the illusion that voting for Democrats is in their best interests. Republicans figure there is not much point because venturing into the inner city would eat up lots of time and resources and bring little reward. That kind of thinking drives Robert Woodson crazy. He is a black conservative who has run the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise since 1981, and while politicians give lip service to the question of poverty, he's spent decades in the trenches discovering its causes, and real solutions. Paul Ryan approached Woodson wanting to learn. Woodson's answer was that he would help, but only if Ryan and his people were serious enough to devote significant time to the issue. They were, and to date Woodson has taken Ryan on 12 trips into high-crime, drug-infested neighborhoods. Woodson sees an opportunity for the GOP to do right by the poor without abandoning its conservative principles or pandering. He points to the successful outreach efforts of former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and former Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith, two Republicans who worked with local minority communities to push market-driven urban redevelopment and were rewarded politically by blacks. He assails Republicans who genuflect at the altar of race pimps like Jesse Jackson, saying it's time to stop validating such people. At the same time, he showed up at the recent White House unveiling of President Obama's 'My Brother's Keeper' initiative, saying he doesn't care about partisanship if something works. He expects, however, it will make little difference because most of the money will go to Jackson and Sharpton types."
In another encouraging move in this vein, the Supreme Court voted six-two to uphold the results of the 2006 ballot initiative in Michigan that put the kibosh on affirmative action quotas there. It passed 58%-42%, appalling liberals, who insist on lowering the bar for minorities. This was a refreshing departure from the usual 5-4 judicial vote along liberal/conservative lines. Before retiring, Sandra Day O'Connor suggested that quotas end in 25 years, an admission that they are wrong to begin with, otherwise "why do away with them at all," as Jonathan Podhoretz cited in his op-ed piece in today's NY Post? Justice Elena Kagan recused herself, as she was involved in the case before her appointment. The ruling does not defend or decry affirmative action. It merely states that citizens are perfectly capable of deciding whether they want it in their state. Californians and New Yorkers could put it on the ballot and vote to make it mandatory if they please.

Fans of the lovely Amy Acker had a chance to see her twice in prime time last night, in contrasting roles. In Marvel's Agents of SHIELD she played a sweet cellist victimized by a stalker, and in a recurring role on a rerun of Person of Interest, she played Root, the cold-blooded genius sociopath/psychopath. I hope she stays with the latter until the series ends. She has the part nailed.

As soon as I'd set up shop today a Russian gentleman asked about the nine volumes of Dostoevsky in their original language. He was on his way to the train and did not want to lug them. He asked me to save them, but I said I had regular customers and, if one wanted them, I'd have to defer. Sure enough, it happened. Spasibo, sir, and to the others who bought and donated books. It got so windy I packed up 15 minutes early. There was a lot of grumbling about the return of winter.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/22 - Muscle

Last night PBS in NYC ran yet another fascinating music documentary: Freddy Camalier's Muscle Shoals. This small town in northwest Alabama, current population 12,000+, has produced a remarkable number of hits. It lies on the banks of the Tennessee River, which indians believed sang. Rick Hall, the son of a sharecropper, started the legendary FAME studio, where a diverse array of artists laid down tracks. Eventually, his house band went its own way and opened a rival studio. Here's a partial list of songs:
Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman
Jimmy Hughes - Steal Away
Etta James - Tell Mama
Arthur Alexander - You Better Move On (#1 UK hit for the Stones)
Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man [The Way I Love You]
Jimmy Cliff - Sitting In Limbo
Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally, Funky Broadway, Land Of 1000 Dances
Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music
The Staple Singers - I'll Take You There
Donny Osmond - Go Away Little Girl
Mac Davis - Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me
The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses, Brown Sugar
Otis Redding - Respect (Single/LP Version)
Taj Mahal - Statesboro Blues
Traffic - (Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired
The Band - The Weight
Clarence Carter - Patches
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird
Paul Simon - Kodachrome
Boz Scaggs - Loan Me A Dime
The Allman Brothers Band - Statesboro Blues
To the surprise of many inside and outside the industry, the house band, the Swampers, was comprised of whites, although black musicians also sat in on sessions. They are the musicians on Aretha Franklin's early hits, Respect, etc.. Paul Simon once asked if he could borrow the black guys who do the great Muscle Shoals sound. Play that funky music, white boys!

Nice work if you can get it -- Since March 30th, pro golfer Matt Kuchar has earned 2.35 million. He has finished in the top five in his last four starts, topped off by his win last weekend at the tournament in Hilton Head, where he holed out from a bunker on 18 to hold off Luke Donald by one. Take a week off, Matt. You've earned it.

Also in sports, kudos to Rick Adelman, 67, who announced his retirement after 23 seasons as an NBA head coach, going 1042-749 in stops at Portland, Golden State, Sacramento, Houston and Minnesota. He also played seven years in the league. He is a true "lifer."

My thanks to Michael, who donated a thriller in Russian. He looked at the nine volumes of Dostoevsky I had on display and scoffed. "Buy one, get one," he quipped. Gauging by today's results, it seems they will be a tough sell. My thanks also to those who bought and those who stopped to chat.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/21 - Lemonade

Still stuffed from yesterday’s feast -- lamb and pork with all the fixings, then pastries, chocolate covered strawberries, apple pie, and chocolate peanut butter squares my great niece Danielle made. Dani, a sophomore, is competing in the discus and javelin, and also is managing the boys volleyball team. Her brother Ronnie visited the University of Kentucky last week and fell in love with the place. Although he has a substantial scholarship offer from Farleigh Dickinson, a private school, it won’t cost him much more to attend that venerable out of state institution. I told him I’m still not rooting for UK basketball. We spent some time trying to figure out how to rip a four minute bloc from a DVD of a one-hour concert of his father’s blue grass band, on which Junior played guitar. Window’s Movie Maker, which I’ve used to make three simple slide shows, did not cooperate. I suggested he turn the volume way up and film the clip with his Iphone, then upload to youtube. Undoubtedly the sound wouldn’t be very good, but at least he’d have it online and would be able to replace it once he figured out how to isolate the actual clip. It was a great day, especially since traffic was as good as it gets. I paid $3.41 for gas in the Garden State. On my walk this morning I noticed that BP had gone up to $3.94! Ron Sr. pointed out that there are a number of refineries in Jersey, hence the lower price. I also got to take home a doggie bag. Just heat and serve.

I was happy to see the work on the subway station at 9th St. & 7 Av. had been completed. I've had success setting up shop there. Unfortunately, there is another, constant problem in Park Slope -- parking. I waited an hour-and-a-half for a spot to open up before I surrendered and returned to my usual nook. By then it was one PM, and I didn't have a full compliment of Russian books, so I wasn't in a good frame of mind. I'd brought along about ten prize-winning literary novels for the folks in Hipsterville. Anyway, a negative became a positive when Glove happened by. I use that term because he covers what must be an artificial hand with a black glove. Of course I would never call him that aloud. I'm always fascinated by the way he maneuvers the books and his wallet with his good hand. He bought two volumes of translated De Maupassant short stories. Spasibo, sir, and thanks also to Occupy Jack, who settled some more of his debt, and to the Lady Eve, who donated books by Mary Higgins Clarke and Pat Conroy. She mentioned that she reads only on a Kindle these days, and I went into a self promotional spiel. She seemed impressed. I'm cautiously optimistic. I've mentioned my books to several Kindle owners, and not one has followed up, not even an old friend.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/19 - Language & Cars

As I was eating lunch at my sister's, she was on the phone, sending Easter greetings to relatives overseas. She spoke to Sebastiano, 80, a WWII orphan the family raised who has lived his adult life in Argentina. She told him I spoke Spanish and handed me the receiver. I tensed, as I'm so out of practice in foreign tongues, and I have a hard time hearing phone conversation, especially when I'm nervous. I wound up speaking a motley blend of Spanish and Italian. As soon as the call was finished the phone rang and the electronic voice said it was from Germania, our mom's former home attendant, who still is in contact with us a decade after mom's death. I managed to get off a few "Bien, bien" and "felicidades." I felt like a big phony.

The floating book shop was witness to three incidents involving cars today. The large SUV parked directly at my back got a ticket for an expired meter. The driver arrived ten minutes after the traffic guy. It didn't seem to bother him. He dozed behind the wheel until his wife showed a half hour later. The owner of an SUV parked at the corner of 85th Street had quite an adventure. He dropped his keys into the sewer. His alarm sounded for at least ten minutes. He tried to fish out the keys with an elongated wire hanger. I suggested he stick a piece of chewing gum at the end of a long stick, which wily entrepreneurs use to fish money out of the gratings in Manhattan. I'm not sure if he managed to hook his prey or if his wife brought a spare key. Next thing I knew they were gone. The third incident was ugly. A young white male wearing a jacket that had the word "Drama" emblazoned on its back had words with a black male, who stopped his car, popped his trunk and pulled out an aluminum bat. As far as I can ascertain, the drama queen was crossing the intersection when the car was passing. Fortunately, there was enough distance between them that the situation didn't get even more stupid. Unfortunately, there were racial epithets.

All three customers bought in bulk today. I sold three books in English and three in Russian, then, as I was packing up, a couple who spoke with eastern accents approach and, to my surprise, wanted fiction only in English. They overpaid for six books. Love those last minute sales. Thanks, folks.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/18 - Bits n Pieces

How's this for pluck? On the European pro golf tour, at the Malaysian Open, Pablo Larrazabal, 30, was attacked by hornets. He jumped into a nearby lake to get rid of them. Although he was stung 20 times, he insisted on continuing to play. He hit his next shot to 15 feet of the flag and made the birdie putt! As Warner Wolf used to say on his nightly sportscast in NYC: "Let's go to the videotape."
http://msn.foxsports.com/buzzer/big-buzz/pablo-larrazabal-stung-by-hornets-jumps-in-lake-041814

One of my favorite customers, Susan, has returned from her annual six-month stay in Thailand, where her sons settled long ago. I asked if she'd been in danger due to the political unrest. She said no, although it was a constant worry. Her son was unable to go to work at his office in Bangkok a couple of times. Fortunately, it never got worse than that. What I love about Susan is that she doesn't read popular fiction. Her husband has given up on buying books for her. I have about ten I can now bring out to the car for the next time she passes.

Mountain Man visited the floating book shop today and spewed his inimitable cynicism. He is disappointed that the confrontation between the feds and the Nevada rancher did not turn into a blood bath, as he believes armed revolt is the only solution to the rot of the political system. He thinks all politicians should be taken out and shot... Occupy Jack passed on his way to the printer, who will make stencils for T-shirts he plans to sell tomorrow at Union Square Park... I applauded and bowed to Joan, who last Friday donated several pictorials on art. She was pleased to learn I sold all but one the very next day... Sue Ellen, who I doubt has reached 30, teaches history at nearby Kingsborough CC. She's been dressed to kill all week. It's spring break and she's been partying. Monday she was a bit hungover and I helped her track down some money she dropped. Yesterday she wore a chic leather jacket and matching knee high boots. Today her lips were painted a fiery red. I was reminded of the Van Halen song and video, Hot for Teacher. Whatever happened to Waldo? 

It was a slow day in terms of sales. My thanks to the two buyers. None of Simon's donation of classics in Russian sold, although several people took a look at them. Maybe tomorrow.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/17 - Magic

RIP Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 87, Nobel laureate, whose 1967 novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude took the world by storm. Translated into 25 languages, it sold more than 50 million copies. Colombian by birth, his work is described as magic realism, defined by Wiki as "where magic elements are a natural part in an otherwise mundane, realistic environment." Like so many writers before him, he began his career as a journalist, also dabbled in film criticism, and wrote several screenplays. As far as I could find at IMDb, only two of his novels have been adapted to the screen, 100 Years (1981) in Japan, and Love in the Time of Cholera (2007), starring Benjamin Bratt and Javier Bardem. R.E.M. based Losing My Religion on one of his short stories, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. He considered Fidel Castro a good friend and discussed literature with him. 

Due to disappointments concerning Obamacare, several states are considering creation of a Single-Payer system based on the Canadian model. In an op-ed piece in today’s NY Post Sally C. Pipes warns against it, citing the long waiting times our friends to the north endure for critical services, the lack of state of the art equipment, and increasing costs. In 2012 42,000 Canadians came to the U.S. for medical treatment. She cited no figure, if there is one, of Americans going there for service. Obamacare has gotten tons of bad press, but the breadth of the catastrophe, if it truly is one, won’t begin to be known until the November elections. The key, as always, will be pluses and minuses. Will it have helped more citizens than it has harmed? The Democrats are claiming success, citing the eight million who have signed up, 35% of those under 35, which is critical to the program, as the young and healthy must subsidize the elderly and infirm. Critics say the number who are actually paying premiums is far less. In the letters to the editor column, frequent contributor Elio Valenti calls the program simply "a massive redistribution of wealth." He states: “If Obama’s true intent had been to insure the uninsured, then he would have placed them on Medicaid.” It makes sense. Kudos, goombah. Perhaps in their own take on magic realism, upper echelon Democrats are going into attack mode defending the law, despite polls that show the majority of Americans don't like it. Eventually, there may be fewer people without health care, but one thing I'm sure of -- it won't be cheaper. Government intervention always inflates costs. And the coverage of many citizens will probably be less than what they had previously.

Simon's donation of Russian classics immediately paid dividends. Of the eight I brought out today, six sold. Spasibo, folks, and thanks also to Alan, who purchased Dean Koontz's The Good Guy.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/16 - Prey

In the early years of sound, French auteurs were greatly influenced by Hollywood fare. In the 60’s they went their own way with the New Wave (yuck), which influenced many American film-makers (double yuck). Now it seems the pendulum is swinging back again. Luc Besson may have started it as far back as 1990 with La Femme Nikita, and continued in ‘94 with Leon: The Professional, flicks that featured slam bang action. Guillaume Canet contributed to the trend with Tell No One (2006), based on the novel by Harlan Coben. Last night I watched another in this line, The Prey (2011), courtesy of Netflix. It is an amalgam of familiar themes and elements: a prison escapee, a tough as nails, highly intelligent female detective; a kidnapped beautiful little girl; a serial killer; chases; stunts that defy credulity; brilliant color; beautiful landscapes. In a Special Features interview, director Eric Valette, with whose work I was previously unfamiliar, said he told the screenwriters he wanted action every 20 minutes. The finished product has many flaws, but it is highly entertaining in a visceral way. The suspension of belief is required, as is the case with so many movies this side of the Atlantic. I lapped up the entire hour and forty-two minutes. Only the faces of two of the minor players were familiar: Sergi Lopez from the great Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), and the gorgeous Caterina Murino, who appeared in Casino Royale (2006) and one of my favorite PBS detective mini-series, Zen (2001), which, to my chagrin, filmed only four episodes. The cast plays it straight and intense. I regard The Prey as a popcorn movie -- sheer entertainment. The dubbing is fine, only a few oddities in dialogue, which doesn't really matter in such a film. It can be watched with subtitles as well. On a scale of five, 3.75. The 13 contributors who have rated it at IMDb forge to a consensus of 6.7 of ten. Here’s a pic of the lovely Alice Taglioni, who played the detective:

I wasn’t surprised when I went out for my morning walk and saw a thin layer of snow on cars and grass surfaces. It's been that kind of year weather-wise. I encountered two people scraping their windshields. They didn’t look pleased. I didn't look forward to setting up shop in the cold and almost turned back when I saw a crew in my usual nook, installing windows on the still empty ground floor apartments flooded by Hurricane Sandy. Instead I set up across the street, in the sunshine, which made the windy conditions tolerable. My thanks to Alan, who bought a thriller, and to the elderly gentleman who purchased five books in Russian. He is going on a cruise of the Bahamas Thursday. I had only two Russian books left, but that was immediately remedied by my next door neighbor, Simon, who gave me two boxes full of classics: Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Zola, etc. Spasibo, sir. I don't know if they will be as popular as the previous batch of modern novels, and their condition is only fair to good, but the endeavor feels a lot less futile whenever I have wares to offer the dominant group of the neighborhood.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/15 - Strain

The floating book shop was rained out today. Here's an excerpt from a short story, Strain, available in the A Hitch in Twilight collection, print or Kindle, link below. My guess -- five-minute read. "Have a little sympathy..."

   Seated at his desk, legs propped up, eyes closed, he listened intently, head bobbing rapturously to the dulcet tones of a soprano. He frowned as he heard the door creak. "Ssssh!" he said, raising a hand, then waving it as gracefully as a conductor.
   His assistant, a horribly disfigured woman, stopped in her tracks, breath bated, folder pressed tightly to her lone breast.
   "She brings such beauty to them. What a waste. None of the pathetic wretches deserves it." He opened his eyes and snapped his fingers, and the music ceased. The sound of mourning was now prevalent in the
background. "A voice like that - and she didn't even have to sell her soul. I want a complete file on her. She must be corrupted, if she hasn't been already. I want her here."
   "I'm glad to see you happy, Master," said the woman humbly.
   "Why wouldn't I be?" he said, a trace of resentment in his tone.
   "Here are the reports."
   "You're looking lovely today, Puta. I'd say you were an angel if I didn't know better."
   She was stung by the sarcasm. She turned and paused.
   "What is it?" said the Master, irked. "Let me guess - the lawyers are demanding a hearing. Ignore them. That's the point. They'll never have that opportunity again."
   "No, Master," she said timidly, avoiding his gaze.
   "The politicians? Let them compromise each other for eternity, as they deserve."
   Puta lowered her head.
   "What?" said the Master impatiently.
   "I don't know. Maybe it's nothing."
   "No doubt it is."
   She sought his fiery eyes. "Lately I've been hearing some of the guests...."
   "Guests? This isn't the Hotel California." He paused, eyes afire. "I want a file on them too."
   She looked away and blurted: "They're happy here."
   He stood motionless, absorbing the comment. "Nonsense. The only one happy here is me."
   Her look evolved to one of compassion. "Are you happy, Master?"
   His face became even more severe. "Are you analyzing me again?"
   She coiled, afraid. "I love you."
   He tittered. "That is so you, Puta. Damnation imitates life. You will love me in vain as you did the losers you let defile you."
   She bowed her head sorrowfully.
  "I'll be out in a minute," he said.
  "Go in disguise. They wouldn't dare let you know they're happy."
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/14 - Righteous

This morning Bill Medley, the low voice of the great Righteous Brothers duo, appeared on Mark Simone's radio show on WOR-AM. 73, he has written a memoir, The Time of My Life, with the help of Mike Marino. The title refers not only to his wonderful run as an artist but to his last number one hit, a duet with Jennifer Warnes that was used in the wildly popular film Dirty Dancing (1987). Simone mentioned that You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' is the most played record in the history of radio. I wore out a copy, singing along -- the lows and Bobby Hatfield's highs. Medley said Sonny Bono played tambourine on it and Cher sang background vocals. Medley and Hatfield met while attending Cal St. Long Beach. Hatfield, 63, died in his sleep of a cocaine induced heart attack in a hotel room in my old college town, Kalamazoo, Michigan, the night before a scheduled concert in 2003. Here's the cover of Medley's book:

 
While the Masters was a great personal accomplishment for two-time winner Bubba Watson, it did not provide the high drama it usually does. The most interesting moment occurred when Kevin Stadler finished the final round and walked past his dad, 1980 winner Craig “The Walrus,” without acknowledging him. The father recently divorced the mother, and the son has taken it hard. No commentator mentioned the snub. I’d read about it in the newspaper. Tournament officials fulfilled the elder’s dream in pairing the two in the first round. I wonder what that was like. Kevin, in his first Masters, finished tied for eighth. Craig, 60, did not make the cut. Fan favorite Fred Couples, 54, did and flirted with contention for a while before falling back into a tie for 20th. He has a bit of a gut a now and shocking white hair. The biggest surprise was Phil Mickelson missing the cut.

The floating book shop's first road trip did not go well. I set up shop outside the train station at Avenue U between West 7th & 8th, certain I'd be chased by the police, but the squad cars and lone officer that passed ignored me -- just like the passersby. A few people took a look at the wares but none bought. I didn't see any of the old friends or customers I'd hoped to. Maybe next time.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/13 - Threats

There is a fascinating article by Larry Getlen in today's NY Post. He highlights events detailed in a new book, Hunting the President: Threats, Plots, and Assassination Attempts — from FDR to Obama by Mel Ayton. These dangers are far more common than we know. Every president, regardless of party or ideology, has thousands on file at any moment, usually around 400 or so regarded as serious. Here are some specific examples, edited by and comments added by yours truly:
On Nov. 1, 1950, with the White House undergoing renovations, President Harry Truman was napping upstairs across the street at Blair House. As he slept, two Puerto Rican nationalists, 37-year-old Oscar Collazo and 24-year-old Griselio Torresola, approached from opposite directions. Collazo was armed with a Walther P-38 and Torresola with a Luger, both 9 mm pistols. Torresola noticed White House police officer Leslie Coffelt and shot him three times. Collazo approached the front door and shot Officer Donald T. Birdzell in the leg. Awakened by the shooting, Truman looked out the window and saw one of the officers lying wounded on the street. He stuck his head out to ask who had been hit, but a Secret Service agent yelled at him to get back inside. The leader of the Secret Service would later reprimand the President for this risky, reckless act. While agent Stewart Stout, inside Blair House, awaited the assassins with a sub-machine gun, Collazo was taken down at the building’s door, while Torresola shot another officer before the mortally wounded Coffelt felled him with a shot to the head, the officer’s final act before dying in service of his country. Sounds like an episode of 24.
Before killing Robert Kennedy in 1968, Sirhan Sirhan wrote in his diary of his desire to kill Lyndon Johnson. And months before murdering Kennedy’s brother in 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald grabbed a gun and intended to attend a speech by former Vice President Richard Nixon, who had talked about having Fidel Castro, Oswald’s idol, removed from power. Oswald’s wife, understanding his murderous intent, locked him in a bedroom and threatened to call the police. This is more circumstantial evidence of Oswald's guilt in JFK's assassination.
JFK came close to never taking the oath of office. In December 1960, a month before his inauguration, 73-year-old Richard Pavlick parked his car outside of Kennedy’s Palm Beach, Florida mansion. Underneath his blue suit coat he wore as much dynamite as would fit, all wired to a switch in his pocket. The Secret Service later called the explosives enough to have blown up a small mountain. Pavlick, who had followed the President-elect from town to town and photographed his Hyannis Port home in order to check out the security measures, planned to ram his car into Kennedy’s limousine and then flick the switch. Was he the first would-be suicide bomber? Waiting outside the mansion, he watched Kennedy leave the building with his wife and children. Kennedy got into the car as Jackie watched and waved. Pavlick hesitated because, he later said, he didn’t want to hurt the family. He tried again later that day as Kennedy attended church, but when the President-elect left, he was surrounded by kids. Pavlick abandoned the attempt and flew home, intending to return four days later. The Secret Service, which had been tipped off by people who received ominous postcards that Pavlick sent from campaign stops, arrested him at home, and he wound up in a mental institution for six years.
In 2005 George W. Bush was giving a speech in the nation of Georgia when Vladimir Arutyunian, 28, threw a live, Soviet-made RGD-5 hand grenade toward the podium where the President was standing. The grenade hit a girl, cushioning its impact and didn’t explode because it had been wrapped in a red handkerchief, which kept the firing pin from deploying. The FBI later said that had the grenade exploded, it was close enough to the President to have possibly killed him. I do not recall having heard or read about it. Scary stuff.

Business at the floating bookshop returned to normal today, ending the terrific five-day run it enjoyed. My thanks to the two ladies who bought books, and the gentleman who swapped.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/14 - Shadows

Having gone through four consecutive difficult yet rewarding reads from foreign authors, I yearned for something American, and I found a winner in Alison McGhee’s Shadow Baby. The first person account is from the viewpoint of a precocious pre-teenage girl who has an impressive vocabulary, vivid imagination and thirst for knowledge. She is the daughter of a single mom estranged from the father of the child and her own father. In Clara winter, who uses the lower case for her last name because she hates winter, McGhee has created an enduring literary character that should stand the test of time. Clara befriends an old immigrant whom she wants to profile for a school report. A born writer, she composes reports of imaginary books she invents herself. She longs to know more about her origins, and intrepidly persists in the pursuit. The old-timer, a retired metal worker, helps her and, in his laconic way, teaches her a great deal. Here’s an example from the next to last page: “In my twelfth year I learned the importance of usefulness as well as beauty. I began to see consistency among that which is inconsistent. I came to understand the art of possibility. Those were the ways that the old man saved my life, and they are what he taught me. I was his apprentice, and he was my master.” The prose and dialogue are excellent. The 243 pages glide by. The setting is upstate New York, the Adirondacks, a small town near Utica, an area where the author grew up. McGhee has won several awards and teaches creative writing. Shadow Baby was her second of four novels. She has also written many children’s books. The 53 contributors who have rated Shadow Baby at Amazon forge to a consensus of four stars out of five. I agree, and wonder if that isn‘t high enough. The novel was a selection of the Today Show Book Club. It is a keen portrait of humanity, the best kind of novel in my estimation. Kudos. 

I’m in shadow myself -- that cast by more successful authors. Checking my stats this morning at Amazon, I found that someone recently purchased a Kindle copy of Adjustments. Thanks, whomever you are. As I scanned the page I noticed my overall author ranking: 533,781, down from a high of around 400,000 about a year ago. Fortunately, my ranking among booksellers on the streets of Brooklyn must be high this week. I was almost certain the pictorials on art that Joan gave me yesterday would go fast, and they did -- all five of them. Complete strangers emerged from the shadows of my life and made purchases. My thanks, especially to Diane, who bought Killing, the third copy I sold since last Saturday. And two women I hadn't seen in a long time happened by: Joanne, who donated so many best sellers to me before she moved, and the other, whom I first met years ago at the Santa Rosalia feast and who, although she was not a reader, stopped to chat and wish me well many times thereafter. To my chagrin, I've forgotten her name, although I believe it too is Joanne. Even Bad News Billy showed. He had to go into the bank and ask that a $35 overdraft fee be dropped. He was told it was the last time he would be accommodated. That didn't stop him from purchasing the Oldies 5 disc I burned and Roger Corman's Swamp Women (1955) DVD, a terrible film that failed to thrust into the shadows the careers of Marie Windsor, Beverly Garland, Mike Connors and Ed Nelson.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/11 - Empty

I scoured the internet for something to write about and came up empty. Everything seems played out, although a standoff between the feds and a Nevada rancher bears watching. The government is trying to take his land. Since I must guard against my conservative bias, I'll wait until something significant happens to comment. Hopefully, the situation will be resolved peacefully.

The floating book shop had another good day. I sold all ten books in Russian I put out plus two a woman donated. Spasibo, folks. And Joan donated several beautiful pictorials on art, among them tomes on Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet and Rat-tat-tootily-day-day, the favorite artist of the Three Stooges. These days whenever the iconic comic group is mentioned I recall the beautiful Italian woman, Gina, asking Jerry Seinfeld, in her bodacious accent: "You will show me the Stooges?" Here's a pic that most closely resembles how she looked on the show. Her name is Gina Gallego, so I assume she is Latino, not a goomahra (phonetic spelling, so "hold off on the postcards and letters," as Steve Allen used to say.)

Thanks, Joan.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/10 - Stunned

Yesterday, Sheila purchased Killing. Having read a few pages, she returned today and bought Close to the Edge, Exchanges and A Hitch in Twilight. I was so stunned I forgot to offer her other books as a token of appreciation. Fortunately, she and her husband passed a while later. My sincerest thanks, and also to all the others who patronized the floating book shop. It would have been a decent haul without the sale of my own books. And when I moved the car for the alternate side regulation, there was a spot right in front of our building. Sometimes things just go your way.

Here's an excerpt from a short story, Fall, published circa 2000. The title refers to the season and to succumbing to temptation. Warning to those it might offend -- it's a tad naughty. My guess is it's about a ten-minute read:

    Head down, he entered a large department store, chastising himself for not eying the females present. He had to forget Lisa and find someone. Trouble was, no one appealed to him at present. He'd barely thought of anyone else since he'd given her the poem. He'd wanted to be pure, free, should she have chosen to be with him. What woman would want him in his current state of mind?
   In the men's clothing department he scanned the sport jackets, surprised, appalled at the prices. Did he really need one? His suit, although 20 years old, was in mint condition and still fit perfectly. He doubted he'd worn it 20 times. The pants were even a bit loose now, as he hadn't much appetite lately. He grumbled, annoyed. What was he doing here - killing time? Suddenly he recalled he'd wanted a black jacket should his mother, who was 90, pass away. His eyes contracted with pain. Why was he thinking of such a thing?
   "Nicky?" a female voice called softly.
   He looked left. He stared, although he was unsurprised at who it was. "Ro? Hi. How you doin'?" To his embarrassment, his eyes glazed. He looked away, wondering what she must be thinking.
   Tense, she tugged at a strand of her long reddish hair, a quirk he'd seen her do a thousand times. It warmed his heart. She was wearing light blue spandex that clung to her legs. He chuckled at her fondness for athletic wear. In all the time he'd known her, he'd never seen her engage in exercise.
   "You look great," he said quietly, "as usual."
   She avoided his gaze, apparently struggling with herself. She shook her head, as if amazed. "How do you do it? You gotta be pushin' fifty."
   "Steroids," he said lifelessly, his standard quip to the query.
   She chuckled briefly, then was again bitten by tension.
   "I haven't seen you in front of your mother's lately. Are you and your husband still there?"
   She made a face. "Yeah."
   He was disappointed, having hoped they'd split.
   Soon there was an uncomfortable silence between them. He broke it.
   "So how've you been? How's life treatin' you?"
   "I'm bored," she said, looking at him, then away, jaw clenched.
   He froze. She'd wasted no time. Apparently she'd returned to her old ways, her true self. It was her nature to sleep around, as it was his to sleep alone. She was biting her lower lip, gazing sidelong with what was almost a leer. He recognized the look, one she'd given him 22 years ago on the steps in his hallway, when she 15. He'd torn himself away, believing that in three years he'd be able to do whatever he wanted with her - and he planned a lot. They'd misfired ever since, even after she'd wed, each taking  turns at reluctance, despite the lust teeming between them. Now temptation was again beckoning, and Nick was teetering like the last bowling pin standing, more vulnerable to a fall than ever. It'd been so long. Recently, for the first time in his life, he'd contemplated hiring a hooker, not for sex but simply to cuddle so he would again know the relief of being flesh to flesh with a woman. Ro was so attractive, so sexy, so trim, although she was starting to look her age. He didn't want her, however. He wanted Lisa. He was miserable without her, even though he'd never even had her. Ro might afford temporary relief, he knew, but he might be even more miserable later. And he didn't want to be miserable. He wanted to be happy. He wanted to be decent, like Lisa. Ro had no interest in children. She didn't want to be tied down.
   "You might be disappointed," he said, looking at the floor. "I'm not the man I used to be."
   There was a puzzled flash in her hazel eyes. Apparently she didn't know what to say or do. Upset at what she might be thinking, at his own unmanliness, he seized her arm. "C'mon," he said, pulling her along. She did not protest. In fact, she seemed to be fighting for breath.
   Suddenly he let go of her, realizing there might be neighbors present. He didn't need an irate cuckold in his life. Walking quickly, head down, he led her toward the exit. Not a word passed between them. The lot had filled considerably in the brief time he'd been inside. It was Saturday. Shoppers were scurrying toward the store.
   As soon as they were seated in his car, they kissed, hungrily. Ro dug her fingers into his biceps, examined their shape. He surrendered completely, shutting off his mind, until she became bolder.
   "Not here," he said, breathless, caressing her high forehead, the only physical feature of hers he didn't like. "If we're finally gonna do this, let's do it right."
   Right? he thought, stung by the irony. She was another man's wife. He started the car.
   For more than 20 years he'd fantasized about having her any time, anywhere, even in broad daylight. What he wanted now, however, was intimacy, not lust. Would he get that from her? It seemed absurd to think so. He feared he was being as foolish as he'd been in falling hopelessly in love with a woman 18 years younger than himself.
   She sat against him, a hand resting delicately on his thigh.
   "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" she said with quiet difficulty. "Look."
   She spread her legs, looking away, eyes closing. He shuddered violently, a surge he hadn't experienced in what seemed ages. What was she doing with him? She needed studs to satisfy her. He was amazed at the circumstances, and peeved at himself. He was going to have sex with a woman he'd always wanted - and all he was feeling emotionally was sorrow. He felt he was spiraling downward. He was about to cede the moral high ground. He would never again be able to condemn adultery. He feared he would weep at the sight of her breasts, feared he would be thinking of Lisa's, feared he would hurt her.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

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

Last night PBS in NYC ran another fascinating music documentary. When I first landed at the station while channel surfing, I noted that it was a two-hour slot. I thought: How the heck do they have enough on the Dave Clark 5 to fill all that time? I figured the band had cut three, maybe four albums. They made 15, two of them greatest hits compilations. The group did many covers of songs popular in the swinging 60's. It had 17 records in the Top 40 of the US Billboard chart and 12 Top 40 hits in their native UK between 1964 and 1967. Over And Over went to number one in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 on Christmas Day 1965. The DC 5 played to sell-out crowds on tours of the U.S.. It was the first band of the British Invasion to tour America, and it made 18 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, the most of any B.I. group. After the success of the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night in 1964, the band released its own film, Catch Us If You Can, directed by John Boorman (Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur), in 1965. It was released in the United States as Having a Wild Weekend. After their initial success, which included the movie and a television special, the major hits dried up in the US after 1967's You Got What It Takes, although the band had several substantial hits in the UK in the 1967–1970 period. The DC5 disbanded in 1970, having placed three singles on the UK chart that year, two of which reached the Top Ten.
The most interesting aspect of the doc was Clark's business acumen. He managed the band himself and served as executive producer. Remarkably, the members got along well. They did not suffer the sordidness associated with the rock n roll lifestyle. Clark secured the rights to the songs, which was unheard of at the time. Celebrity comments were seen throughout the doc, and Paul McCartney said that even he wasn't able to get the rights to his music. Between 1978 and 1993, none of the DC 5's music was available to be purchased in any commercial format, as Clark declined to license the band's recordings. After a 1989 deal with the Disney Channel to rebroadcast the 1960's ITV show Ready, Steady, Go! (which Clark owned), he made a deal with Disney-owned Hollywood Records to issue in 1993 a double CD History of the Dave Clark Five. The deal also included getting DC5 songs into Disney movies and creating a DC5-themed cafe at the United Kingdom Pavilion of Disney World's Epcot Center. Additionally, Clark was executive producer and listed as co-writer for the 1986 London stage performance of TIME - The Musical, which featured the last living performance of Sir Laurence Olivier. The production received critical acclaim and featured unique electronic and mechanical theater stage craft. A two disc vinyl album was released in conjunction with the stage production, featuring music recorded by Julian Lennon, Freddie Mercury, Stevie Wonder, Cliff Richard, Ashford & Simpson and Olivier's selected dialogue. Lead singer and keyboardist Mike Smith, 65, died in February 2008 from a spinal injury sustained after scaling a fence at his home in Spain. Sax player Denis Payton, 63, died in December 2006 after a long battle with cancer. Bassist Rick Huxley, 72, died in February 2013 from emphysema. Lead guitarist Lenny Davidson and Clark, who wrote the songs with the other members, survive. The band's main style was attack, although its most enduring song is likely to be the beautiful ballad Because. Everyone I knew, especially my buddy Dom, tried to bang out, using our hands on any surface, the distinctive drumming opening of Bits and Pieces. The only disappointing aspect of the film was that all the performances were lip-synched. Supposedly, the DC5 was great live. The group was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. Well done, lads. Thank you. (Large chunks from Wiki, edited by yours truly)

RIP Ultimate Warrior, 54, who only Saturday was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. His actual name was James Hellwig. Thanks for the entertainment, sir.

I do not have the entrepreneurial shrewdness of Dave Clark or the WWE's Vince McMahon, but I had another good day on the street thanks to folks just returned from Florida. An elderly gentleman purchased seven books in Russian, and Sheila and her husband bought Killing. My thanks, and to the others who patronized the floating book shop today.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx

Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 4/8 - Pranks

Long ago, probably in the early 60's, I remember a group of teenager pranksters lifting a Volkswagen Beetle, which were uncommon at the time, and hiding it in an alley, snickering. Modern pranksters aren't as kind. According to an article at Yahoo News, vandals flipped over a handful of miniature Smart cars parked in two quiet San Francisco neighborhoods on Monday. Officers responding to reports of a loud crash at about one AM found four of the tiny energy-efficient vehicles upside down, on their side or rear. Witnesses told police a group of six to eight people dressed in black hooded sweatshirts gathered around and tipped over at least one car. So-called "Smart tipping" became an issue several years ago in Canada and Amsterdam, where pranksters would lift the two-seaters and plop them onto their sides or dump them into canals. In the Bay Area, a total of three flipped Smart cars, which are five feet shorter than a Beetle, were spotted on Monday within a few blocks of each other. Police are investigating the episode as a felony vandalism case that could bring jail time as well as a fine. While on my morning walk, I saw a young dad loading his infant, who was in a car seat, onto the front seat of one. I know they are made of racing car-like steel and have many air bags, but I'd think twice about putting a baby in one. Here's a pic:

The pranks had me thinking of my favorite of all-time. The legendary John Barrymore, grandfather of Drew, died at sixty of Hollywood excesses. A group of his drinking buddies decided to play a trick on another of their cohorts, Errol Flynn. Raoul Walsh, Bertholdt Brecht, Peter Lorre, W.C. Fields and other cronies, the "Bundy Drive Boys," kidnapped Barrymore's body, bribing an undertaker, to scare the bejesus out of the hard-drinking heartthrob. They sat it in a chair in Flynn's living room, where Barrymore always used to sit. Flynn entered, nodded at Barrymore and strode towards the bar....then froze. Flynn and Paul Heinried said it was true, writer Gene Fowler said it was false. Since it will never be verified or proved bogus, I choose to believe the myth. Here's a pic of Barrymore:

Kudos to Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who has scored 25 or more points in 41 consecutive games, surpassing Michael Jordan's record. It's a great accomplishment, but he is still in pursuit of his first NBA championship, while Jordan has six rings to flash.

Mother Nature cooperated beautifully, halting the rain just before eleven, which led to a nice day for the floating book shop. I had a visit from one of my most loyal customers, Marie, who told me how much she enjoyed viewing Rosemary's Baby (1968) again. I brought back a fond memory. I saw it at a lecture hall at WMU, where films were run on weekends for a token charge. As Mia Farrow approached the bassinet, knife in hand, the room was silent. Suddenly a black girl said: "Kill it, honey." I almost busted a gut suppressing laughter. It had Marie laughing too.
My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases, and to Madeline, who donated six useful books, including two on cooking. A Russian gentleman paid with a two-dollar bill. I hadn't seen one in ages.
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 Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx