The Writer's Life: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/31 - Choices

The left is in an uproar because Indiana has instituted a law that allows businesses, on religious grounds, to refuse to cater to gays. As far as I know, this pertains exclusively to the issue of marriage, i.e. a wedding hall owner or baker. Of course, this would be a problem only if every such business refused to serve gays, and that isn’t going to happen. Those who refuse will be a tiny percentage. Aren’t they entitled to their own beliefs? Isn’t it the height of intolerance to force them to violate their beliefs? Obviously, the goal of the left is complete conformity, no dissent. 19 other states have similar laws. Indiana’s apparently goes a bit further. Until I see evidence that gays are not being served by any business in Indiana, I support its move to protect religious freedom.

St. John’s has made an interesting choice for its next basketball coach -- Brooklyn boy Chris Mullin. On the one hand, the move seems perfectly logical, as Mullin starred for the team during one of its most successful periods, also had a fine NBA career, and has accumulated experience as an executive in league offices. On the other, he has never coached at any level. Despite this, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t do well, although it may take a few years, as it seems major rebuilding is needed. Then again, he can do what John Calipari does at Kentucky -- recruit without thought to academics and win with freshmen and sophomores who will opt for a pro career rather than a degree. Good luck, sir.

My third eldest niece, Luci, has an MBA. After being out of work for a couple of years, she was hired by the transit authority. After eight months on the job, she has been let go. It seems a group has instituted a lawsuit, complaining about those who have been hired despite never having taken an civil service exam. I guess 20 years experiences in the corporate world and an MBA aren't equal to said exam. Hang in there, Lu.

My thanks to Natalya, Mikhail, Kinesha and the other kind folks who made purchases at the floating book shop today. Condolences to Marie, whose 97-year-old mom passed away. And thanks to my sister, who treated us to dinner at Del Rio Dinner after the wake. I ate sensibly -- no bun, no fries. My sis and Lu took home doggie bags.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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

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/

Monday, March 30, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/30 - Swamped

According to a blurb in the NY Post, 21% of Americans do not have a landline telephone these days. I am one. I remember how daunting it was when I first went cell only. I’ve heard people say a landline is a must in case of emergency. So far there hasn’t been anything to test this out, fortunately. 90% of Americans have cell phones. I assume that means adults, or perhaps families.

In case you missed it, Australia defeated New Zealand for the Cricket World Cup.

I had three of the Final Four in both pools I’m playing, missing out only on the bracket Michigan St. advanced through. That cost me dearly, as I had Villanova and Virginia, both early exits, eventually facing each other, and Virginia winning. The tournament has been fairly predictable except for that region's results. I tried to look up my place at both Yahoo and ESPN, but it seems they are posting only the many tied for first, which is understandable, as millions participate. I wonder what percentage picked Kentucky, as I did, to win. Like last year, I'm rooting for Wisconsin and its old coach, Bo Ryan, the only one of the four coaches who's never captured the top prize at the highest level. He won multiple national championships in a lower division.

Since last Friday the floating book shop has picked up more than 100 books. Today it was about 25 in Russian from two ladies and a gentleman. The old timer tried to tell me about a few of the books, giggling and apologizing for his struggle with English. My thanks, and to the kind folks who made purchases. Of course, the hard part was getting everything back to the car, which was about 100 yards away across Avenue Z. I'm hoping there'll be a favorable spot open when I go out for my morning walk. When the crates are so full, I should carry only one at a time to avoid injury, but pride won't allow it. Getting old sucks.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Sunday, March 29, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/29 - Maneuvers

As someone who uses Twitter for shameless self-promotion, I appreciate those who who use it creatively. The NY Post has column today highlighting the Tweets of comedians. I didn't understand some of them. Maybe they have to with pop culture of which I'm unaware. There were two that made me laugh. I have no idea who either of these men are:
Mike Lawrence: "Paying off my students loans with a job I didn't need college for. The American Dream."
Trevor Noah: "Looking at how successful all the Kardashian women are, I don't blame Bruce Jenner at all."

I mailed out the Book Cancellation Form to AuthorHouse this morning. Close to the Edge, in its present form, will be available for another month or so, and probably offered in used copies on Amazon. I'm in the process of uploading it, minus a ton of spelling errors, to Kindle. I hope AH lets me use the cover its staff created, and the ISBN number that was assigned to the book. I'm not sure about the former, but I don't see why they would object to the latter. They made a nice profit off me, so I have no compunction about those aspects. And there were three incidents where I bought six books with Amazon gift certificates and was not paid royalties for them. I complained the first time, and was compensated. I didn't bother to address their pettiness the next two. If all goes well, I will soon make a print edition available through Create Space, where there is no printing or set up fee. I wouldn't expect any web sales, but I'd be able to buy copies in bulk for street sale and be able to turn a profit on them. I'm down about a grand on Edge. It would have been half that had I known what I know now about the process. It served as a good learning experience. A Hitch in Twilight and Killing are profitable. If I sell most of the copies I have of Exchanges and Rising Star, they too will be in the black. The best I can hope for Adjustments is to break even. The Kindle version of Edge will be a buck.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books today on Bay Parkway, and to the gentleman who donated four technical works and three classics, each genre of which I'd been lacking.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Saturday, March 28, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/28 - Pain & Gain

The first 20 minutes or so of Pain and Gain (2014), which I watched last night courtesy of Netflix, present a likeable lead character, a hard-working young man who thirsts for the American dream. From there it evolves into a downward spiral of a guy losing patience and choosing crime to get what he wants. The story is based on true events that occurred in Miami. Three dummies, bodybuilders, kidnap and murder. Since the trio were probably completely despicable in real life, the screenwriters chose black comedy instead of drama. Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie and Duane Johnson are the leads and comport themselves as well as can be expected. Johnson, who gained fame in the square circle as The Rock, is the best aspect of the film. I’d never seen more than five minutes or so of his screen work at a time. I was completely surprised by his acting chops. He has shown far more skill than all the other wrestlers who have gone from the ring to movies. If this had been an original story and the characters entirely fictional -- or simply been given different names -- I would have respected it more. The flick is amusing and its two hours-plus never drags. And there is solid support from Hollywood vets Ed Harris, Tony Shalhoub and Mike Rispoli. Unfortunately, it makes light of heinous real life crimes. Someone who uses the tag Brontay at the IMDb commentary section, said: “…Guess it’s time for Manson family values…” Michael Bay, who was at the helm for The Transformers series, directed. I’ve seen only four of his 20 films, and have not liked any, despite the immense popularity of the other three. He has been a huge money-maker for the industry. Made on a budget of 26 million, Pain and Gain brought in almost 50 million in the states alone. 136,000+ users have rated the film at IMDb, forging to a consensus of 6.5 of ten. On a scale of five, I rate it 2.5.

Some sessions of the floating book shop are surprising. That was the case today on Bay Parkway. I bagged the lead parking spot on 85th St., a rarety when the bank is open. I had to lug the crates only 20 yards. I also had to keep an eye on the car, which was inches from the crosswalk but 13 rather than the required 15 feet from the hydrant. The lone traffic guy who showed didn't even give it a look. He did ticket the SUV right behind me, whose meter ticket must have expired. I'd been expecting unfriendly weather, raw cold and wind. Conditions were benign, pleasant. My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases, and to Jack of Chase, who exited the building carrying an armload of books. I'd expected ten or so. There were more than 20. On a somber note, Dennis visited and said he'd fallen off the wagon. Having no experience in such a matter, all I could wish him was good luck. A few moments after he left, a middle aged woman staggered by and asked, in a heavy Russian accent, about the flea market. I'd seen her pass scores of times, apparently sober, and she'd never addressed me. I hope it was a rarity for her.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Friday, March 27, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/27 - Housekeeping

Imagine a first book being nominated for a Pulitzer. Such was the case with Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping, which I just finished. Although it did not cop that prestigious prize, it was named Best First Novel by the Hemingway Foundation. It is a first account of a pre-teen whose mother may have committed suicide and whose grandma dies, leaving her and her older sister briefly in the care of the elderly sisters of the grandmother, then shunted to a quietly eccentric aunt. The elder eventually rebels and moves in with a teacher. The protagonist shares much in common with the aunt and stays, although one expects her to flee the harsh climate of the small town in the Pacific Northwest, where her grandfather, who died in a train wreck, built a house. I love works that attempt to get at the mystery of life. The protagonist’s musings often hit home. Just as often, they lost me. I failed to grasp what she was trying to say. Of course, this may have been due to a weak attention span on my part. Here are excerpts I admire: “For why do our thoughts go to some gesture of a hand, the fall of a sleeve, some corner on a particular anonymous afternoon…? What are all these fragments for, if not to be knit up finally?” I often wonder why I remember seemingly meaningless bits from the past. I used to think they might have occurred before or after a significant event. I now suspect they are simply physiological. Late in the narrative, the girl muses: “Of my conception I know only what you know of yours. It occurred in darkness and I was unwilling…” And: “Then there is the matter of my mother’s abandonment of me. Again, this is the common experience. They walk ahead of us and walk too fast, and forget us, they are so lost in thoughts of their own, and soon or late they disappear. The only mystery is that we expect it to be otherwise.” 25 years after the publication of Housekeeping, Robinson was awarded a Pulitzer in 2005 for Gilead. She has written four novels in all, and four works of non-fiction, and accumulated many awards along the way. Readers are still discovering Housekeeping. Its sales rank at Amazon, where more than twelve million books are listed, is 4925^th at last check -- 45 years after its publication. 403 users have rated it, forging to a consensus of 3.8 out of five. I rate it 3.5. I wish there was more detail about the aunt’s experiences. To my surprise, there was a film adaption in 1985. Unfortunately, it is not available at Netflix.

Last night Movies!, 113 on Cablevision, ran Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965), a comic take on the early days of flight. A beautiful actress appeared briefly in multiple roles, a running joke. I had no idea who she was. I guessed Gemma Jones. It was Irina Demick, who amassed 19 credits from 1959-1972, then disappeared. There is little information on her. She was married for more than a decade, and divorced, no children. She simply faded from the scene and died at 67 in 2004. Here’s a pic:

My thanks to Dmitriy, who bought A Hitch in Twilight, and to the other kind folks who made purchases on this dank day, and to Lev, who donated more than 50 books, most in excellent condition, all but two marketable.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/26 - Fantastic

There are three great articles in today's NY Post. In yet another piece in defense of capitalism, George Will informs of a new book on the subject. Here are highlights, edited by yours truly: "Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), who called economics 'the dismal science,' never read John Tamny, author of the cheerful, mind-opening book, Popular Economics: What the Rolling Stones, Downton Abbey, and LeBron James Can Teach You About Economics. In the early 1970s, when the Rolling Stones were coining money and Britain’s top tax rate was 83%, Keith Richards, lead guitarist and social philosopher, said: 'That’s the same as being told to leave the country.' The Stones decamped to France, leaving Britain, Tamny notes, to collect 83% of nothing." 83% - what tyranny!

In an amusing take, Jonah Greenberg rails against the Obama administration's penchant for ignoring what displeases it. He likens the President to a comic book character, dubbing him Dr. Ignoro, citing examples and likening his retreat to golf courses as his Bat Cave or Fortress of Solitude.

An era is coming to an end in the Big Apple. The beloved show, The Fantasticks, will close on May 3 after a total of 51 years in production in NYC, the last nine at the Jerry Orbach Theater, named for the screen and stage legend who was its first star. It’s the Energizer Bunny of musical theater, holding the world record for its original 42-year run at the tiny Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, where it premiered in 1960. It boosted the careers of Liza Minnelli, Glenn Close, F. Murray Abraham, Kristin Chenoweth, and even Ricardo Montalbán. It has run in 82 countries. 250 productions are staged each year, mostly at high schools and colleges. Its most famous song is Try To Remember, written by the show's creators, Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones. Jones is responsible for the story. Well done, gentlemen.

Fans of The X-Files have received great news -- six new episodes this summer on Fox. The show left the air 13 years ago. Unfortunately, the film versions were not up to par. I wonder if it will be a six-episode arc or entirely unrelated themes. I'm hoping for the latter. I enjoyed those episodes, which were more like The Twilight Zone, much more than the alien invasion saga, although that too was compelling the first few years. Then it got convoluted and unsatisfying.

I've now seen the first four seasons of The Walking Dead. I don't know how they did it, but the creative team made rivetting drama out of a played-out genre. Part of its success must be due to its deadly serious tone. It sells the idea better than any other zombie work ever has. It is relentless and uncompromising in depicting brutally, both against the zombies and humans vs. humans in the struggle for survival. It is a grim view of human nature but compelling. Kudos to the creator, Frank Darabont, and to the cast and crew.

The floating book shop was rained out.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/25 - Profiled

Yesterday I participated in one of those profile matchups that friends post on Facebook. It was put up by my sister's godchild, an avid reader. It's title was something like: Which Literary Character Are You? Here's the evaluation I received: "You are Holden Caulfield! You are quite troubled and find most people to be very disappointing. You are highly intelligent and sensitive but you are also very cynical. If you don't get it together you might have an emotional breakdown..." For anyone unfamiliar with the character, he is the iconic protagonist of JD Salinger's The Cather in the Rye, who I certainly related to when I was about his age, far less so when I reread the novel a couple of years ago. I don't know that I'm cynical about anything these days other than politics. When I'm thinking right I'm so grateful to still be in the game. I've had my private breakdowns in solitude, but I survived and hopefull a better person for them. I wonder what happened to Holden. Thanks, Karen -- I think. This is the second literary blow I've received recently. I just finished the initial editing of the second coming of my first novel, Close to the Edge. Without exaggeration, there may have been as many as 100 spelling errors. It certainly fit the image of a self-published book. I can't wait to pull it from AuthorHouse, although the damage has already been done and the fault is mine alone, and transfer it to Create Space. This has certainly shaken my confidence in my worth as an author. It negates all the nice comments people have made about my work, especially Edge. Against all common sense, however, I will continue the insane quest.

I accompanied a friend to the doctor at mid-day, so the floating book shop was on the shelf. I also got two major issues out of the way: car inspection and the dentist. My Hyundai passed, although the hoses are wearing out and will have to be addressed soon. My lone cavity did not lead to root canal and a cap, which was a big win. Combined hit: about $400. What a relief to have them out of the way, especially the inspection, which is always so daunting and annoying.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/24 - Running

Ted Cruz came out swinging yesterday as he announced his candidacy for President. His calls to abolish the IRS and repeal Obamacare will resonate with conservatives and draw fire from the liberal media. I don’t believe either aspiration is radical, especially the first. There has to be a better way of collecting taxes than the convoluted method now in effect. I believe a flat tax would be fairest. A national sales levy might hit middle and lower income people too hard. Cruz’s candidacy may be moot. Although his mom is a U.S. citizen, he was born in Canada while his parents were working at an oil field. Such a circumstance has never been broached by those who decide these issues. Still, it is refreshing to see someone unafraid to air controversial views. It will be interesting to see how the press attacks Cruz. Of course he will be cast as evil. Will they dare to call him dumb when one of their own, liberal icon Alan Dershowitz, has said Cruz was "the smartest student he ever had"? The famous lawyer was one of Cruz's instructors at Harvard.

Speaking of taxes, it is no surprise that residents of NY have the highest state burden, 12.4%. Coupled with the federal rate, which is in the mid 30's, that means nearly half of the income of many New Yorkers goes to the government. Connecticut is second in terms of state levies, New Jersey fourth or fifth. Is it any wonder residents are fleeing?

There was a spooky item worthy of The Twilight Zone or The X-Files in today’s Weird But True column in the NY Post. A quarter of the people in a village in Kazakhstan have fallen into a deep sleep for days and awakened complaining of nausea, dizziness, severe headaches and memory loss. Has something leaked into the drinking water? Is it something in the air? Whatever it is, it’s scary.

I had Virginia and Villanova advancing a long way in both of the NCAA pools in which I participated. In the one at ESPN there are five million contestants ahead of me. I only scored a fraction above 50% in wins/losses. Although three of my Final Four teams, Duke, Wisconsin and Kentucky, are alive, I doubt I can ascend to a respectable finish. Wait ’til next year.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books today at my usual nook, and to those yesterday on Bay Parkway, whom I neglected to acknowledge.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Monday, March 23, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/23 - Tops

I recently read somewhere that Agatha Christie was the top selling author of all-time. I was surprised. I expected it to be Danielle Steel or James Patterson. They've had remarlable careers, but each has a long way to go to catch up to the dynamic duo that share the top spot. Here's Wiki's list up to Patterson. These are the high end estimates. In Bold are authors with whom I'm unfamiliar:
1. William Shakespeare: 4 billion estimated.
2. Agatha Christie: 4 billion estimated. 85 books.
3. Barbara Cartland: one billion. Romance, 723 books.
4. Danielle Steel: 800 million, 120 books, the top American.
5. Harold Robbins: 750 million. Adventure, 23 books.
6. Georges Simenon: 700 million, French Detectives, 570 books, Belgian.
7. Sidney Sheldon: 600 million, Suspense. 21 books, American.
8: Enid Blyton: 600 million, Children's literature, 800 books, British.
9: Dr. Seuss: 500 million, Children's literature, 44 books, American.
10: Gilbert Patten: 500 million, Adolescent adventures, 209 books, American.
11. J. K. Rowling: 450 million.
12: Leo Tolstoy: 413 million, 48 books, Russian.
13. Corín Tellado: 400 million, Romance 4,000 books, Spanish.
14. Jackie Collins: 400 million, Romance, 25 books, British.
15. Horatio Alger, Jr.: 400 million, Dime novels, 135, American.
16: R. L. Stine: 400 million, Horror, Comedy 430+ books, American.
17. Dean Koontz: 400 million, Horror, Thriller, Science fiction, 91 books, American.
18. Nora Roberts: 400 million, Romance, 200+ books, American.
19. Alexander Pushkin: 357 million, Plays, poetry, prose, 17 books, Russian.
20. Stephen King: 350 million, 70 books.
21. Louis L'Amour: 330 million, Westerns 101 books.
22. Erle Stanley Gardner: 325 million, Mystery, 140 books, American.
23. Jin Yong: 300 million, Hong Kong, Chinese.
24. Jirō Akagawa: 300 million, Mystery, 500+ books, Japanese.
25. Janet Dailey: 300 million, Romance, 93 books, American.
26. Edgar Wallace: 300 million, Detective, 175 books, British.
27. Robert Ludlum: 290 million, Espionage, 40 books, American.
28. James Patterson: 275 million, Thrillers, 98 books, American.
Vic Fortezza: estimated 796, Novels, American.

Several years ago I looked up the top selling novel of all time. According to Wiki, The Lord of the Rings has supplanted The Little Prince. The movie version must have boosted its numbers.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Sunday, March 22, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/22 - Morsels

The NY Post had several interesting articles in its Sunday edition. Larry Getlen writes about a book by Larry Holcome: The Presidents and UFOs. It sounds like a fun read, but whether any of it is true is open to debate. It claims Richard Nixon whisked fellow UFO buff Jackie Gleason to a certain site. It also lists the Reagans as believers, eyewitnesses. The most fascinating aspect, one that makes perfect sense, is that JFK and Khurshchev met to discuss their concern that a UFO may be mistaken by either side as a missile attack. It also suggests that Kennedy was assassinated because he was considering informing the planet that UFOs are real. Just when you thought you’ve heard it all about that fateful day in 1963.

Movie critic Lou Lumenick writes of a lost film starring Harry Houdini. The Grim Game (1919) is not a documentary but rather the story of a reporter trying to clear himself of the murder of his father. In it, Houdini performs more tricks than he had in any other screen appearance. The only known copy belonged to Larry Weeks, a juggler, who recently died at the robust age of 95. For reasons known only to him, he would not part with it until he was persuaded just before his passing. It is said to have been in good condition and must now look even better after restoration. It will first be shown at a museum, and then will air on TCM.

Another reason why Broadway is called the Great White Way -- 80% of ticket buyers are Caucasian. For some reason, this upsets certain people. Isn't it really the Great Rich Way? Stage hands and musicians earn more than 100 grand. A few years ago I bought two half-priced, day of performance tickets for The Addams Family. They were $71 each!

My thanks to the Russian gentleman who purchased a book in his native tongue, and the elderly one who donated five books, two of which were Danielle Steele paperbacks. B.S. Bob showed for the first time in more than a month. He spent two weeks in the hospital because of an infected leg. He dropped 15 pounds and hopes to drop a lot more, which should improve his health. Author Bill Brown also crawled out of the woodwork. Unfortunately, he was laid off from a proofreading job for the second time in the past three years. When I asked how his book on Lou Reed was doing, he said: "It died." I know the feeling.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Saturday, March 21, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/21 - Old School

RIP Chuck Bednarik, 89, who played Center & LB for the the Philadelphia Eagles for 14 seasons. He was the league's last true two-way player. In the 1960 championship game vs the Packers, he played an astonishing 58.5 minutes, and tackled FB Jim Taylor at the ten to end it. That, however, was not his most famous hit. That came against Frank Gifford and almost ended the Giants' WR's career. The son of Slovakian immigrants, Bednarik was named to eight Pro Bowls, and was inducted into the NFL and the College Football Hall of Fame. His nickname was "Concrete Charlie," not for his prowess on the field but because he sold concrete in the off-season in those days before pro sports paid well. The most impressive aspect of his life occurred outside sports -- he flew 30 combat missions as a gunner in WWII. In this case, the cliche "They don't make 'em like that anymore" - truly applies. (Facts from Yahoo Sports)

I've only been to Starbucks twice, each time succumbing to the yen for a hot chocolate. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I applaud the success of its business. They don't twist anybody's arm to buy those expensive brews. I know its executives mean well by encouraging their employees to engage customers in a dialogue on race, but it is a silly idea. I've said it before -- the conversation on race can be accomplished in one sentence: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Microsoft will soon be phasing out Internet Explorer, perhaps within a month. Figures -- my Firefox browser is beset by pop-ups. My IE is not. I believe it is because it is an old version of it. There’s nothing to do but enjoy it while it lasts -- or buy a new computer.

The only good thing I can say about this latest snowfall is that the trees looked awesome. To clear the front of the old house I used a shovel my dad bought at least 50 years ago. It has a thin green blade that allows it get underneath the ice. Later, walking to Burger on 86th Street, I was chuckling as I pelted by moisture falling from branches, wires and the elevated train tracks. By noon the area in front of the Chase bank was dry and the floating book shop was in business. My thanks to Ralph, who bought Paul Weiss' Nature and Man, published in 1947. Bad News Billy pulled about at just about three, his car, which he left running, sounding very sick. His battery has been dying constantly. He has a piece of styrofoam tied to the front to keep water from getting into the radiator grill. Always kindhearted, he overpaid for Bill Phillips Body for Life, Twelve Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength. For once it was me who had to deliver bad news. He was unaware of the passing of his high school football coach, the legendary Vinnie O'Connor of St. Francis Prep, who died more than a month ago.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Friday, March 20, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/20 - Improved

Old Man Winter is having the last laugh on the first day of Spring. At least I was able to open up the floating book shop for an hour or so. My thanks to Herbie, who purchased yet another thriller, and the couple who bought a pictorial in Russian. There are only seven remaining from the batch I picked up recently.

When I downloaded the ebook of Close to the Edge and uploaded it into Word, it came out fragmented. I've been working at getting it into publishing shape, doing five pages at a sitting, two or three times per day. It is too tedious to do for a longer stretch. The story will remain exactly the same. I tweaked the language here and there and added one brief scene I'd thought of after the book was published. The biggest change will be the elimination of the spelling errors. I may have been so cocky about my ability to spell way back in 2000 that I may have turned off the editing aid so as not to be annoyed by the Brooklynese being underlined in red. I doubt I would have missed so many -- at least 50, possibly as many as 100. I appreciate anyone who noticed and spared my feelings. When I go from AuthorHouse to Create Space, it will be a better book. Anyway, here's an excerpt. It may come out fragmented, as I'm working from an old edition of IE, which is not beset by the pop ups I've recently acquired:

   As the light of the set faded, the room was plunged into darkness. The lone window was caked with grime. Barely a ray penetrated. He’d been meaning to clean it since Spring. He could hardly see. He groped for the lamp. He felt lifeless. A regula philospher, he thought mockingly, irked at his recent drifts into prolonged thought. He turned on the stereo to lift his spirits, setting Close to the Edge* on the turntable. He sprawled across the bed and let the music possess him, and soon lost himself, singing along, humming the frenetic melody, becoming more and more engrossed as the title cut progressed. As it approached its climax, he jumped to his feet and raised the volume. He wished he could reach the paradise that was being described. He feared he was heading in the opposite direction.
   Concentrating intently, he noted a new sound. He was surprised, having thought he’d known the recording inside out. He cocked an ear toward a speaker in an effort to identify the instrument. To his chagrin, it was the telephone. The blare of the powerful speakers had nearly drowned its ring completely. He lowered the volume and raced to the kitchen to answer the call.
It was Marie’s mother, as he’d expected.
   “Rocco? Honey, the music’s too loud. My floor’s shakin’. Turn it down, please, doll, before my husban’ gets home.”
   “I’m sorry, Rosie,” he stammered. “I got carried away. It won’t happen again. I promise."
   “That’s awright, hon’. I understan’. Yer all alone. The music keeps ya comp’ny."
   “Yeah.” He was pained at having been reminded. He’d actually forgotten his loneliness for a few minutes.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/19 - Mandatory

President Obama made an interesting comment yesterday. He believes that voting should be mandatory, and that those who do not exercise the right should be fined. He says the measure will be transformative. I suppose he thinks most people who do not vote support his policies. My guess is it would be about a 50-50 breakdown. There are those who are too lazy to vote, or too cynical, which I certainly identify with. I vote precisely to avoid surrendering to cynicism. There are those who believe not voting is an exercise of free speech. I also understand that. Those who run for office often seem the worst of us, people who would struggle to achieve anything of worth in the private sector, who are not qualified to do anything but work in government. The choices are not often not appealing. I don’t care who wins the Democratic nomination, but I don’t know how anyone could be happy with Hillary’s candidacy. I pray Republicans have the sense not to nominate Jeb Bush. I’m sure he is a good person -- all of the Bushes are -- and he might even be as successful as President as he was as governor of Florida, succeed where his namesakes failed, but his candidacy seems like the same ol’ same ol’, and new blood is needed. I think Elizabeth Warren would be every bit as disastrous as Obama, but I would understand if the far left wing of the party would push her to run. She, at least, is honest about her radicalism. Hillary hides her true colors, and she's been in politics so long that the stink of corruption is now permanent about her. If voting were mandatory, maybe that would force me to the sidelines, although I doubt I'd be able stand down with Hillary or Warren running. I’m going without health insurance to protest Obamacare. Since my income was so paltry, I was not fined, surprisingly. I was willing to pay up. I vote Republican because I believe they are less worse, not better than Democrats. Decent folks must overcome the roadblocks government throws at them. Surprisingly, voting is mandatory in Australia.

I just read something interesting in AAA's magazine. Anyone injured while tripping on a crack in front of a home in NY is entitled to sue. Any driver whose car is damaged by a pothole from November 1st through May 15th is responsible for his/her own repairs, as government exempts itself from liablility. This should surprise no one.

For the third straight day the floating book shop was subjected to strong wind. The forecast called for a high of 43. It felt like ten degrees, despite the sunshine. The madness paid off thanks to the gentleman who purchased six pictorials in Russian, and the woman who purchased another.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/18 - Foiled

It is believed that the Obama administration had people on the ground in Israel trying to influence the election. It seems its current losing streak has continued. Although political alliances in Israel are tricky and have yet to be formed in the new government, it appears Netanyahu has held on to power, which must be very disappointing to the President and Secretary of State John Kerry, who share an entirely different world view than Bibi. It will be interesting to see how far the press delves into this matter, as meddling in foreign elections is supposedly illegal, although it has been done in the past by both parties. In the old days, it is believed the CIA arranged assassinations. Just last week the left labeled a group of 40 or so Republicans “unpatriotic” for sending a letter to Iranian leaders warning that any deal between the countries not approved by congress may be rescinded in the future. Of course, that is far worse, despite its truthfulness, than working to unseat a leader.

I made my annual visit to the dentist today. I have one cavity. It looks simple, although I was warned that if it's worse than it seems it may require root canal and a cap, which will be a big financial hit. I'll know on my next appointment. His practice has picked up. He now has a receptionist, a young woman who must be a Raiders fan, as her hair is silver and black. There's no muzak in this office. The radio is tuned to a classic rock station, albeit at low volume.

I went out at 11 AM not expecting to open the floating book shop. It was not as windy as I'd expected. With so many Russian books to offer, I couldn't resist the temptation. I put in an hour and a half before I surrendered to the elements. My thanks to the two kind folks who bought pictorials on art. By the time I returned from the dentist the wind had kicked up considerably.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/17 - Blarney

Erin Go Bragh to our Irish friends. I don’t miss riding the subway to and from work, especially on St. Patrick’s Day, the worst time to be underground, as post-parade revelers pile onto trains. Halloween was a distant second. Kiss the blarney stone.

I just filled out my March Madness brackets at ESPN and Yahoo. It’s free, so I took a shot, even though I follow basketball only in the newspaper and will probably not watch more than few minutes of any game. My picks are pedestrian, Kentucky defeating Virginia in the final, 70-65, in both pools. In the Yahoo pool I changed a few picks in the earlier rounds in order to increase my odds. My great nephew is a freshman at UK. I wonder if he will venture to Indianapolis for the championship game -- should the team, as expected, make it that far.

For the second straight season the Mets have lost a young stud pitching prospect to season ending Tommy John elbow surgery. This has become an epidemic in MLB. The Rangers’ Yu Darvish is a victim, and the Phillies Cliff Lee is weighing rehab vs. surgery. I have no idea what’s causing this. Because of today’s humongous contracts, players are babied. Can that have led to a weakening of pitching arms? Other than the split finger fastball, what is different about the mechanics of pitching these days vs. 30 years ago? Have PED’s weakened the tendons? This is a baffling and sad development.

I continue to be embarrassed by the number of spelling errors I'm finding in the file for Close to the Edge, which I copied directly from the e-book. At least half involve whether certain words have a single or double letter, such as the "l" in traveling. Another large portion are the failure to drop an "e", such as in desirable. I wouldn't be surprised if there were as many as 100 misspellings. What a comeuppance. At least the book will be better in its second incarnation. I don't know why anyone but family or friends would have picked up anything else of mine after reading Edge.

No luck selling books on the street today.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

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/

Monday, March 16, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/16 - Kerb

Cecelia Ahern hit pay dirt at 24 with her first novel, P.S. I Love You, a best seller in 40 countries. It was adapted successfully to the screen, starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, in 2002. She has since written 11 other novels. I just finished her latest, The Year I Met You, the story of a 34-year-old lass living in an American-like suburb outside Dublin. Just fired, Jasmine is on paid “Gardening Leave,” forbidden by law to begin another job for one year. She is modern, self-reliant, sexually liberated, a workaholic who does not handle idleness well. The down time forces painful reflection on her. The book’s most interesting aspect involve the man across the street, an acerbic talk show host who once lampooned people with Downs Syndrome, which the main character’s older sister suffers. She has hated the man, whose drinking has driven his wife away, ever since. They gradually forge a platonic relationship and help each other cope with their problems. The characterizations are first rate. All the players seem real, not contrived. This is not romance, although it bears elements of it. I was captivated by the portrayal of the affliction, having known little about it. I was surprised the afflicted can lead normal, independent lives, albeit with the help of a support group. In fact, Heather organizes an intervention, where friends and relatives confront Jasmine. It is the highlight of the narrative, handled masterfully by the author, the daughter of former Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Three of her other works are being adapted to film. She was co-creator of Samantha Who?, the TV series starring Christina Applegate. The Year I Met You has not been as successful commercially as her first novel, but it is good fiction. The prose and dialogue are solid, although in a few cases it may be puzzling to a Yank, i.e. "kerb" rather than "curb." I find the differences in language and spelling between America and the UK interesting. 16 users have rated the novel at Amazon, forging to a consensus of 3.6 of ten. Right on the money in my mind.

The diabolical forces that have infected my PC have struck again. This morning when I opened the file of Close to the Edge, it was in book format, two pages side by side, and in "Read Only." I figured I'd inadvertently clicked on the wrong option. Later, when I tried to save the changes I'd made, entirely different options were offered. The changes were saved in a different file and not in the latest version of Word. I hunted and pecked through the program and found what I hope is a solution -- a password. I just created a new file, saved it, clicked off, and went back a moment later, and everything seems fine. I wonder if I can make the password universal across all my manuscript files. I'd hate to have to do it for evey single one. I'll be amazed if I don't suffer identity theft.

My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases today on Bay Parkway, especially the woman who bought two huge books on art in Russian, and the young man who chose five works of non-fiction.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
Vic's 4th novel: http://tinyurl.com/mg3z9vj
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://tinyurl.com/lh2tepa
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/pdxwsnt
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/

Sunday, March 15, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/15 - Prepared

Retired Army Colonel Ralph Peters’ columns used to run regularly in the NY Post. I miss them. He was back today, criticizing the prep school mentality of our leaders, the arrogance of the privileged who haven‘t suffered the harsh realities most people, including our enemies, have. He claims revolutionary change never comes from insiders but outsiders. Here is the paragraph I find most illuminating: “Once-great universities have turned into political indoctrination centers worthy of the high Stalinist Era or the age of Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Their aims may be more benign, but their willingness to consider alternative worldviews is every bit as rigid. Students in the social sciences at Harvard and Yale are cadets being groomed to serve a soft-socialist form of government conceived not in the streets, but in the very same classrooms. It’s a self-licking ice cream cone. And graduates leave campus brilliantly prepared for everything except reality.”

When Bill Clinton was president and scandal reared its ugly head, Hillary often cited the vast right wing conspiracy out to derail them. In a column in today’s Post, Edward Klein claims the latest scandal was actually the work of the Obama administration, which leaked the information regarding the emails. Klein cleverly points out that Hillary is now the victim of a “…vast left wing conspiracy.” The Clintons represent the status quo, and the President obviously prefers Elizabeth Warren, who would continue his legacy of radicalism.

"Be prepared" is the famous slogan of the Girl Scouts. For years I've kept an empty plastic bottle in my Hyundai just in case a bathroom emergency arose. It came in handy today. The hardest part was figuring how to accomplish the deed. I moved the front passenger seat as far forward as it would go, and knelt in the back seat. What a relief. I just hope this isn't the beginning of a trend. Fortunately I'd secured a parking spot that allowed me to set up the floating book shop curbside. As I waited for customers to approach, I was in perfect position to clean the grime from the sides of the car. Yesterday's rain did a nice job with the roof, hood and trunk. My thanks to the young man who bought Rising Star, and to the three other kind folks who made purchases.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

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

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/

Saturday, March 14, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/14 - Skin

Pedro Almovodar has written and directed 34 films. Set in Spain, they are unconventional and feature characters on the fringe of society. Some of events turn the stomach, a lot is riveting. He has no qualms about nudity, and gender-bending is a frequent theme. Last night, courtesy of Netflix, I watched The Skin I Live In (2011), a creepy amalgam of horror, sci-fi and drama. It stars the dapper Antonio Banderas as a brilliant doctor, a specialist in skin-grafting who pushes the boundaries of medical ethics, which leads some colleagues to question his sanity. Almodovar leaves it up to the audience to reach conclusions about the psychological makeup and motivations of the players. Fortunately, the action concludes decisively, although the rest of the victim’s life is open-ended, begging speculation. The film is based on Tarantula, a novel by Thierry Jonquet. The script was co-written by Almovodar’s brother Augustin. 87,000+ users at IMDb have rated it, forging to a consensus of 7.6 of ten. On a scale of five, I rate it four. Although the subject matter is outrageous, the execution is for the most part sober. It is not thrill-a-minute Hollywood fare. The pace is measured. Anyone lacking patience should pass. It is subtitled and runs almost two hours.

I've been using IE the past two days, which has solved my pop-ups problem. Unfortunately, I have no sound and videos won't load. Earlier, I uninstalled Firefox. I just upload the latest version and the problems returned with it. I will use it only for Facebook, which apparently has its own security blockers. I love the videos folks post there.

The floating book shop was rained out today. My thanks to my buddy Bags, who bought Rising Star. His band is One Above, Two Below. He has just acquired a new toy that allows him to remaster his tapes through his PC. Here's a link to his band's website. If you like hard rock, you won't be disappointed: http://myboomerplace.com/OneAboveTwoBelow
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5

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

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

Vic's 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/

Friday, March 13, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/13 - Quandary

I found this at Yahoo News, for those who love their medicine with a chocolate coating: "An inmate in New York is accused of hiding oxycodone pills in his rectum and selling them to other inmates at his jail..."

Since my PC was infiltrated by pop up bugs last month, it has acted unpredictably. I've been using the Firefox browser for years. For the past week, I've been unable to play games at RewardTV, where I accumulate points and cash them in for an Amazon GC or a CD or DVD I sell on the street. It occurred to me to try IE, and it worked fine. Yesterday I noticed I wasn't getting any pop-ups there. When the problems first began, I tried both IE and Google Chrome, and neither worked any better than Firefox. I wonder if all the work I did uninstalling unwanted programs worked in IE. This morning I began building up my favorites list there. Maybe this is just temporary relief and the bugs will eventually adjust and torment me here as well. Now I face a quandary -- do I uninstall Firefox and re-install it at a later date? The Avast virus scan showed a list of 20 or so hazards it was unable to fix. Most of them had Firefox in the title. What a pleasure it is not hearing that soft female voice saying, every few seconds: "Threat has been detected." The version of IE I'm using may be five years behind the times. Do I upload the latest or leave well enough alone? Decisions, decisions.

Friday the 13th proved lucky for the floating book shop. The ten CDs Political Man donated yesterday were gone by the first 15 minutes of operation. Later, a middle aged gentleman wheeled a handcart toward me. There were about 40 books stacked on it, many of them large pictorials on art, all in Russian. It must have been 100 pounds worth. Half sold by the end of the session. Spasibo, sir. My thanks also to the young man who swapped about ten paperbacks for three of the books I had on display. He has done this frequently. He eyes my books all the time, but I refuse to trade them, although I suppose I could use a little creative bookkeeping to count it as a sale.
Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5
Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/pdxwsnt
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/

Thursday, March 12, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/12 - Players

I watched the premiere of American Crime last night on ABC at ten. It seems like another series bent on pushing the envelope, in this case sordidness. It’s unfair to judge the worth of a work on a single episode, so I won’t. Unfortunately, the show continues tonight, up against CBS’ Elementary, an easy choice for me.

There are two dense op-ed pieces on finance in today’s NY Post. William Pesek discusses the fondness of Chinese citizens for bitcoins, which has the government concerned, and George Will covers the debate on whether the Export-Import Bank, which rewards few at the expense of taxpayers, should be put to rest by Congress when it comes up for renewal. I’m amazed there are people out there well versed on these matters. My mind drifts while reading about them. Since I’m someone who opposes the heavy hand of government, I naturally gravitate to the side of free markets. In these cases, it is so tough for me to reach an intelligent conclusion.

According to radio talk show host Mark Simone, “Mr. New York,” Apple has sold 700 million Iphones through the years. Although I don’t own one, it pleases me very much, as I have 100 shares of its stock, which has rallied impressively since I bought it. The manufacturers and distributors of such products have made the world a better place. Kudos.

The Post had a great caption for an article on Hillary's latest scandal. It paraphrases Slick Willie's infamous quote on Monica Lewinsky: "I did not exchange emails with that woman."

My thanks to Arlynn, who purchased Rising Star as birthday gift for her friend Kelly, and to Political Man, who donated about ten CDs, and to Paisano, who donated a half dozen romance novels. It was so windy I didn't set up the book shop. I stood beside my car hoping a few of my regulars would show. Alas.... At least the session wasn't a total waste of time.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

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

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/

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The Writer's Life 3/11 - Songs

Not much action selling books today. My thanks to three kind folks who bought. Here's the last of the four essays I recently found on old floppy discs. It's eight years old:

Songs Easy To Admire, Hard To Like

Rock 'n Roll is, largely, rebellion, which is why it is so appealing to the young and those desperate to remain young. Most people harbor an urge to rebel throughout life, albeit to a lesser degree through the years, as age seems to value comfort above all else. In my 40's I began listening to standards, a sort of rebellion against the direction modern music was taking. I longed for the comfort of melodious, beautifully written songs about love and heartbreak. I visited my rock library less and less. Eventually, I began re-including the hundreds of wonderful pop songs of the '50's and '60's, and the '70's, all of which were dubbed rock simply because they flourished in the rock era.

The '60's gave rise to protest music, initially regarding the civil rights movement, later against the war in Vietnam and the society that supported it. This spawned advocacy for sexual freedom and drug usage, changing America and the world forever. The jury is still out on whether those particular changes were for the better. I liked most of the songs and, given my youth, agreed with their message. These days I have a grudging admiration for many of them.

Bob Dylan's Masters of War is basically a screed against arms-makers. In a tribute concert to Dylan, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder did a chilling, passionate rendition of this powerful piece: "Even Jesus would never forgive what you do." Of course, in the real world, circumstances are not as simple as they are in such a song. Even a writer as gifted as Dylan may miss the full picture, especially when vision is hampered by youth. The enemy is armed and wants to defeat, annihilate us if necessary. Those who developed "the bomb" before the Nazis and Japanese were heroes, not villains.

Black Sabbath took a stab at the anti-war movement in the harrowing War Pigs, likening generals to "witches at black masses" who in the end receive their just desserts: "Day of Judgement, God is calling/ On their knees the war pigs crawling." As big a fan as I was of Sabbath, I am more a fan of generals and all who serve and sacrifice so much to stand guard while the rest of us prosper in this privileged nation. For every soldier that goes astray, there are scores if not thousands who do their duty honorably, no matter what screenwriters might say. I feel safer with them in the vanguard than with those who would woo the enemy with reason. Perhaps a worldwide, heartfelt chorus of John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance will convince Al Qaeda to cease its lunacy. If only things were that simple.

Occasionally, while cruising in the car, Edwin Starr's rousing War is broadcast on the radio: "What is it good for -- absolutely nothin'." I still try to match his growl: "Good God, y'all," forgetting for the moment the oversimplification of the song's theme. Although he was using the general term, he was alluding to Vietnam. I doubt he would have railed so ardently against the Revolutionary or Civil War, or World War II, but he might have against World War I and the Korean conflict. It’s a selective outrage most of us practice. I suspect we will be hearing more of this dramatic piece as the war in Iraq continues. What we probably won't be hearing, especially in song, are viable alternatives in the war on terror.

These songs naturally appeal to the young, who don't want to be cheated of the life ahead of them. Although they do not face a draft, perhaps they, as I at 56, feel guilty and ashamed about how others are dying for them, and wish the horrible images to simply go away. Fortunately, there are enough young men willing to face the ultimate sacrifice. Where do they find the courage and resolve? It is awe-inspiring, and humbling to those of us who lack it. And it is disheartening to see so many talented artists unite to undermine them, although that is not their intent -- I hope. Given the contempt many artists have for the military, one cannot be entirely sure. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. They would have our forces rush to stop the slaughter in Darfur, but are ready to abandon Iraqis of good will, who likely will die in greater numbers if we cut and run. I wonder if the main objection is that the carnage has interrupted the party that is America, made it impossible for us to return to the comfort, or the illusion of it, we knew prior to 9/11. I doubt we will know it for decades, even should the situation in Baghdad reverse in our favor.

Ian Dury and the Blockheads sang jauntily of Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll. In the words of Meatloaf: "Two out of three ain't bad." Drug use is another theme that began making its way into music in the '60's. No song did it more boldly than Lou Reed's Heroin: "It's my wife and it's my life." The 13-minute version on the Velvet Underground's legendary, live Rock 'n Roll Animal LP is fascinating and unapologetic, and features soaring guitar work by Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter. Of course, no song can convey an actual high to the un-experienced. Even Jimi Hendrix's dazzling riffs on Purple Haze fail to convey an acid trip.

The only people who have done less drugs than I are those who have done none at all. A friend had to point out to me that Reed's Sweet Jane is an ode to marijuana. Still, it is only human to wonder what the highs of heroin and LSD are like. Fortunately, the potential consequences keep most from indulging. Reed survived substance abuse. I wonder how many who bought into the philosophy of Heroin ("You can all go take a f----n' walk") did not. I recall an interview in which Grace Slick regretted the example she had set. She was receiving letters from fans institutionalized due to drug abuse -- and who were still advocating the lifestyle. In her and in Reed's defense, even the premature death of so many young musicians fails as a deterrent. How many young wrestlers have died due to suspected steroid use? Bam Bam Bigelow, 45, is the latest. Pro wrestlers must have the shortest lifespan of all Americans, even shorter than that of rock artists. The arrogance of youth fools many into believing or hoping the most dire consequences will elude them.

In White Rabbit ("One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small"), Slick sang hauntingly of the frightening allure of narcotics. The final lines captured vividly the mindset of the user: "...What the dormouse said/ Feed your head." I used to think it was "doorknob," not "dormouse," which worked even better for me, although it is contrary to the other imagery of the piece, which, apparently, was influenced by Alice in Wonderland, as well as by Go Ask Alice, the diary of a teenage addict. With compelling artistry, it shows the addict will find any rationale to indulge. I think of this brilliant track in a paraphrase of Neil Young: "Way beyond blue and into the black." It is Jefferson Starship's finest moment, a song hard to like, but easy to admire.

What do you think?

War – Whitfield/Strong

Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll - Dury and Jankel

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - Jim Steinman

All other songs by the artists in question

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