The Writer's Life 5/31 - Glad & Sad

Recently, Kyle Smith wrote an op-ed piece in the NY Post defending a street vendor who charged clueless tourists $30 for a hot dog, citing the responsibility of consumers in a capitalistic society to educate themselves. Although I found his argument sound, I still believe the vendor is slime. Smith's article in today's Post again goes contrary to popular opinion. He writes about a new book, Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty by Charles Leerhsen, that refutes much of what is believed about the Hall of Famer. Here are excerpts, condensed, tweaked and edited by yours truly:
"The two things everyone knows about Ty Cobb are that he was a phenomenal baseball player and that he was the worst racist ever to play the game. But one of these things is mostly wrong. In Ken Burns’ Baseball, Cobb is called 'an embarrassment to the game.' Most notoriously, we all know that Cobb stabbed a black waiter in Cleveland and was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Except none of these allegations is true... far from being the most notorious racist in baseball history, he was an early and vocal supporter of integrating the big leagues. Contrary to legend, he was not a Southern redneck but an upper-middle-class boy often derided for acting aristocratic in the locker room, where he would read literary novels and biographies of Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon. Both of his parents were genteel. His father, a state senator and 'something of a public intellectual' in Leerhsen’s words, once broke up a group of men plotting a lynching and was an outspoken advocate for the public education of black Americans. Even back in the 1920s, Cobb would befriend Negro League ballplayers such as Detroit Stars infielder Bobby Robinson, who said 'there wasn’t a hint of prejudice in Cobb’s attitude.' One of several blacks employed by Cobb, Alex Rivers, named his son after the ballplayer and said, 'I love the man.' And there was Cobb’s behavior toward a 16-year-old black team mascot, Ulysses Harrison. Ballboys were badly treated at the time, paid pennies and sometimes unceremoniously dumped on road trips if they were thought to be bringing bad luck. The Detroit News referred to Harrison as 'a pickaninny' and 'the Ethiopian.' Cobb became the youth’s 'main defender and patron' and on [segregated] sleeping trains let the kid sleep below his berth, hiding him from view with luggage so no one would detect him. He also let the kid share his room at segregated hotels. Tommy Lee Jones starred in the biopic Cobb (1994). The director, Ron Shelton, told Leerhsen, 'It’s well known that Cobb may have killed as many as three people.' Asked where he got this information, Shelton said only, 'It’s well known.' Shelton admitted to Leerhsen that he and Al Stump, ghostwriter of Cobb's autobio, simply fabricated a scene in which the elderly Cobb tries to rape a girl in Las Vegas but fails because of impotence. Cobb was preparing to sue to stop publication of the book when he died in 1961. The real Cobb, in later years, funded a hospital and started a college-education fund for kids. In response to fan mail, he’d send letters as long as five pages. Today’s Cobb-hatred comes mainly from two sources: the mistakes Charles Alexander made in his 1984 biography, and Al Stump, whose work was banned from several publications because of its inaccuracies. Leerhsen's research found that several of the blacks Cobb had allegedly harmed were actually white men."
Kudos to Leerhsen and Smith.

As I was setting up shop, an Asian family of four stopped to check out the books. I noticed that the woman, who seemed no more than 30, had picked up Close to the Edge. Her husband pointed out my picture on the back cover. To my surprise, she bought it. Her adorable elementary school age daughters were thrilled with the beautiful children's book I offered them. My thanks. After that there was a long period of idleness, finally broken by Anna-Marie, who was talking a mile a minute and continually rubbing her face. I assumed she'd taken speed. It was heroin. She claims to have fallen off the wagon after a year-and-a-half abstinence. 25, she started drug use at 18. Her father was an alcoholic, fortunately not a mean one. Her mom was a hoarder. Although not a beauty, she is attractive despite her abuse, and expresses herself well. She used to steal shampoo from drug stores and sell it to feed her habit. She says she never engaged in sex to finance it. She's currently living at home with her mom and two teenage sisters. One of the walls of her room is black, another pink, another blue and the other orange. I resisted mouthing platitudes. I really didn't know what to do other than listen, especially when her attention was drawn to Rising Star and its subtitle Sex, Drugs, Rock n Roll. I let her have it, although I later wondered if her mom would be pissed when she saw it, that is, if it ever made it home. Who knows -- she might sell it? I also gave her Eric Butterworth's Discover the Power Within You, the only self-help book I had on hand that might address her situation. I felt helpless and powerless, and I'm not optimistic about her future.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/30 - Monkeying Around

I was so blown away by The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) that I really looked forward to its sequel, Dawn of… (2014). While it is vastly superior to any of the flicks of the original series that began in the late sixties, which were endearing in their goofiness, it pales in comparison to its immediate predecessor. By no means a bad film, it lacks surprise. Its strength, beside the terrific CGI, is its authenticity. What makes it successful is the deadly serious approach to its outrageous premise, similar to that of The Walking Dead, Each does a great job of selling the idea that the situations actually have taken place. Unfortunately, there is nothing left to do in the former than complete the war between apes and man. Unless the reviews are stellar, I will skip the next installment. The cast acquits itself well: Gary Oldham, Keri Russell, Jason Clarke, the ubiquitous Brooklyn boy Kirk Acevedo and, of course, Andy Serkis, incredible at humanizing such parts, the leader of the apes. Clarke, Australian, was vaguely familiar. Scanning his 58 credits. I was surprised I’d seen many of them. The film runs more than two hours. I was not bored, but not captivated, either. It was directed by Matt Reeves, who created the TV series Felicity, which starred Russell. More than 250,000 users at IMDb have rated Dawn of…, forging to a consensus of 7.7 of ten. On a scale of five, I rate it three.

Condolences to fans of the NY Rangers, whose quest for the Stanley Cup has been hijacked by Tampa Bay. I did not watch any of the games. I merely followed the series in the newspaper. It seemed as unpredictable as sports events ever get, with no advantage in home ice. The Broadway Blues scored at least five goals in three of the games in Florida, yet were shut out in games five and seven at the Garden. The Lightning won three times at MSG! Go figure.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books on Bay Parkway today, including Bill Brown, author of Words and Guitar, the Music of Lou Reed. He had a great time last night at a book launch in Greenwich Village. A man who had the foresight to take pictures of rising celebrities during the New Wave era has published them, and many luminaries showed up to the party, including Debbie Harry, whose entourage blocked traffic on Prince Street. People were snapping selfies with appreciative gray-haired ex-rockers. Bill found himself standing beside a tiny woman he eventually recognized as Lydia Lunch, now 55, who Wiki describes as a singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker. He fibbed, telling her how much he'd loved her act, and she ate it up. He attended a show of hers in Ann Arbor circa 1980 -- and she split after ten minutes. I remember the name but doubt I'd ever heard one of her tracks outside a club like Hurrah or The Ritz back in the day. I just sampled a few at youtube, which I won't comment on, since I spent so little time listening. Here's a pic:

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/29 - Doubles

The Scripps National Spelling Bee ended in a two-way tie. In the final round Vanya Shivashankar spelled Scherenschnitte (the art of cutting paper into decorative designs) and Gokul Venkatachalam spelled Nunatak (Inuit for glacier ridge). Congratulations. With names like that they seem naturals for spelling obscure words.

Last night ThisTV, 111 on Cablevision in NYC, ran What's New Pusstcat (1965), Woody Allen's first screenplay for the big screen, before he began directing. He also had a part similar to the ones he played in his early strictly comedic films. The stars were Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole, but the film now is most notable for, besides Tom Jones' title vocal, its female cast: Capucine, Romy Schneider, Paula Prentiss, and Ursula Andress. The latter two are still alive, the former pair left us long ago. The lovely Capucine, French, always a sunny presence, committed suicide in 1991. She'd failed in several previous attempts. As intelligent as she was beautiful, she had a degree in foreign languages. She amassed 56 credits and is perhaps best known for her turn as the adulterous wife of Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther (1963). Before that, she was John Wayne's love interest in North to Alaska (1960). Here's an interesting personal quote from her bio at IMDb: "Every time I get in front of a camera, I think of it as an attractive man I am meeting for the first time. I find him demanding and aloof--so I must do all in my power to interest him." She succeeded admirably. Schneider, Viennese, died at 43 in 1982, at first a suspected suicide, later deemed cardiac arrest. She was a heavy smoker and fought alcohol and drug abuse.  It is said that the death of one of her children had a devastating effect on her. She piled up 62 credits in her short life and in 1999 was voted "Greatest actress of all time" by readers of French newspaper Le Parisien. I'm only vaguely familiar with her work. She starred opposite Jack Lemmon in Good Neighbor Sam (1964), which I saw way back when and has escaped my memory. Most of her films were based in Europe. Here's a quote from her that seems quite telling: "I am nothing in life, but everything on the screen." And here are pics of these fascinating women, Capucine first:

A married couple pulled off a double of staggering odds. Tony and Janet Blundy had an ace on the same hole. The husband, 53, hit a seven iron from 135 yards. The wife, 43, playing from the ladies' tee, used a pitching wedge from 110 yards. The odds of two players in a foursome doing this are 26 million to one. They played as a twosome, so the odds are about twice that. The feat was verified by players nearby, who saw them celebrating.

It was one of those sessions where the floating book shop veered into the absurd. I received more than 50 books from multiple sources. Only Candy responded in the affirmative when I told her to pick out any book as a thank you. She chose Rising Star and said she once worked in the rock n roll industry for bands like the Grateful Dead. Uh-oh, I thought, certain she would see the novel had been written by an outsider. Regardless, thank you, and to the others and to the kind folks who made purchases, especially the woman who bought the last six of the Danielle Steel romances in English.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/28 - Big Cities

A 75-foot-high snow mound in Boston's Seaport District has been reduced to a three-story pile of dirt and trash that includes bicycles, traffic cones and even half a $5 bill, all encrusted in solid ice. Crews have been working for six weeks to clean away the refuse as it breaks free from the mound. So far 85 tons of debris have been pulled out. The pile is expected to be around for weeks, even as the air temperature hits 80. And I thought our rain-less end of Brooklyn had it bad. We haven't had more than sprinkles for weeks. Sheepshead Bay Road was smelling like a dumpster this morning.

Let's have a show of hands -- how many people out there care an iota about the FIFA scandal? Of course, the Clintons have been linked to it. In the same vein -- how many of you are excited by former NY governor George Pataki entering the Republican presidential field? His first two years in office were impressive. He then veered left. He is the epitome of a RINO.

Arrests in Baltimore are down by half from last year, and murders have risen to an alarming rate. Is anyone surprised? Only those who don't recognize the real enemies.

I've written several times about the cold-bloodedness of pro sports. Here's the latest example: Tom Thibodeau has been fired by the Chicago Bulls after five years as head coach. His record? 255-139. And the team made the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm. He accomplished this despite losing his leading scorer, Derrick Rose, for the better part of three of those seasons. He was Coach of the Year in 2010-11. Conflicts with management have been cited. I'm sure he'll secure a plum post -- if he desires.

I sold six books today, five by Danielle Steel, four of those in Russian, and one by Nora Roberts. My thanks to the kind folks who bought.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/27 - Relief

A recent Columbia University study links airborne toxins to lower IQs in children. This seems faulty, given the air we breathed in 60’s and 70’s, when pollutants were actually visible. Is this another attempt of leftists to shift the blame from personal responsibility, from the absence of fathers, from single parent homes?

Another month, another rise in murders and shootings in NYC. It is beginning to look more like a trend than a blip.

Here’s a trivial item that took me completely by surprise: A recent study found that Liam Neeson has the greatest influence with consumers, Pierce Brosnan second. Is it attributable to all the bad guys they’ve dispatched on screen, or their polished accents?

RIP Anne Meara, 85, who was equally adept at stand-up, film, TV and the stage, in dramatic or comedic roles. I remember how surprised I was by her performance as a troubled teacher in Fame (1980). She and her husband, Jerry Stiller, appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show 36 times. She wrote a play, After-Play, which NY Post scribe Michel Riedel describes as “one of the sharpest (if underrated) plays of the 90’s.” She is the mother of actor Ben Stiller, who has had tremendous success in film. Well done, madam.

My thanks to the two gentlemen who bought books today, and to the one who donated four, three of which are Stuart Woods thrillers. I was antsy the entire session, as I had a doctor's appointment at four for an EKG and to find out the results of the blood and urine tests I took recently. Now 65, the possibility of medical problems increase. I was imagining all sorts of diseases. Well, as Mark Twain said so astutely: "I've known a great many troubles in my life, but most of them never happened." My numbers were stellar, except the top BP one, which was 140, up from 134 last week. Curiously, the more troubling bottom figure sank from 94 to 80. Is the grape seed extract I began taking seven days ago already working? Then why the higher top number? Whatever. Needless to say, I'm in a very chipper mood right now, especially since Dr. John bought Killing, Exchanges and Rising Star. My thanks.
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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/26 - A Fan

I spent the morning accompanying a friend to the doctor and still had a couple of hours left over to devote to the floating book shop. My thanks to the young woman who purchased a guide to the differences in English and Russian grammar and another on writing analytically, and thanks also to Amazon.com, which added royalties to my bank account on eight web sales, seven of them Kindles.

Ever laugh at the lengths a friend goes to in his devotion to his favorite team? Here's an excerpt from one of my unpublished novels, Present and Past, that relates the story a colleague once told me of an encounter he had at the ballpark. It's a few-minutes read:

 Freddie chuckled as he scanned the menu.
"Wha’?" said Tony, smiling.
"The Yankee Bean Soup reminded me of something. I was at a game with Philly."
"Laro or  Scungille?"
"Laro, the Yankee Clipper, who else? A customer gave me a coup le of box seats near the Yankee dugout. Philly was in his glory. You should've seen him smiling. While we were sitting there watching BP, two teenage girls came down the aisle and started calling out to Bucky Dent."
"Who's that?"
"The shortstop back then. Anyway, they were wearing 'I Love Bucky' but tons and T-shirts. Dent saw them, came over, and gave them a ball each and autographed them. Meanwhile, Philly's standing there with this stunned look on his face. He was hurt, insulted that Dent didn't have anything for him. He was already tanked and the game was still a half-hour away. He looked at Dent with a seri ousness you wouldn't believe, and said:  'Where's mine, Bucky?' And Dent looked at him as if he was nuts. And Philly said:  'D’they get sick every time the Yankees lose? D’they lose sleep ov er it like I do? I been a Yankee fan all my life. Don't I get anything?'"
"Get atta here," said Tony, eyes wide with mirth.
Freddie raised a hand and said: "I swear to...."  He caught himself, realizing it was Tony's phrase.
"What a moron. What'd the guy do?"
"He just walked away. I was dying trying not to laugh. Talk about the poor soul. It ruined his day. It must've been the only time in his life he didn't enjoy a Yankee game in person. And they lost too, so he was really depressed."
"He was always an idiot."
"The Yankees are his passion."
"You mean besides beer. What’s it get ‘im? He’s a loser."
"I love going to the Stadium with him. He's a million laughs. One time Fat Joe had him running around the upper deck leading cheers. He had his arms raised, his head thrown back proudly, and his index fingers pointing toward heaven, saying: 'Yankees -- number one forever.' The whole section was laughing."
"He shoulda spit on the guy."
"He can't give balls to everybody who asks. He'd go broke. In fact, I never liked him until that day. It was as if he was paying the girls back for buying his stuff. It was nice."
"I bet he was only lookin' to get laid."
"They were fifteen at most."
"All the better. Between 'em they were thirty."

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/25 - Memorial Day

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Winston Churchill

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that “all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We come to dedicate a portion of it, as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety do.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow, this ground – The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here; while it can never forget what they did here.
It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." - Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."
Lt. Col. John McRae, Canadian Expeditionary Force, WWI

The Writer's Life 5/24 - Academy Men

In today's NY Post TV sports critic Phil Mushnick writes about a great American: "Throughout Memorial Day weekend, FOX Sports 1, its regional sports networks and affiliates, are running a twelve-minute feature on the life and death of Maj. Stephen Reich, a West Point grad and baseball star from Washington Depot, Conn.. In 2008 Reich was killed in action during his fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan. He and 15 others died during a rocket grenade attack that struck their helicopter as they attempted to rescue a team of Navy SEALs. It didn’t have to end that way. Reich was a star pitcher in high school, but chose an appointment to West Point. Considered the best to ever pitch at the Academy, he was drafted by the Orioles, even pitched two games in the minors. But he was Army first, Army last. And last was at 34." Some men put the rest of us to shame.

Here's a guy to root for: Mitch Harris has become the first graduate of the Naval Academy to appear in an MLB game since 1921 (Nemo Gaines). This is remarkable because his career was on hold while he completed his five-year commitment to the Navy. He kept his arm in shape by playing catch on the flight deck of his ship, where he also worked on his pitching mechanics. Recently called up after two years in the minors, he has made two appearances in middle relief, and is 1-1 with an era of 5.06. Well done, young man. (From Yahoo Sports)

Here's an item from the famous Page Six: "Cryotherapy, the hot new health fad where people step into a 200- to 240-degree-below-zero chamber for one-and-a-half to three minutes, has become so big with celebs and bigwigs, some are buying their own machines. We hear that Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh has his own cryotherapy chamber, as does Floyd Mayweather, who has been vocal about using the treatment. We’re told the high-tech devices run from $50,000 to $150,000. Mayweather pal Justin Bieber is also a fan and was spotted last week at Cryohealthcare in LA. Mandy Moore and Derek Hough have posted pics of themselves doing the treatment that’s said to alleviate everything from hangovers to chronic pain." Interesting, but not for someone who hates the cold as much as I do.

My thanks to the three kind souls who made purchases today on Bay Parkway. When Monsey, whose grand-daughter just turned 18, told me she's taking a free writing class at the library, I offered her a writer's manual, which she insisted on paying for it. She's intimidated about opening up, squeamish about reading intimate details in public. I asked if she would be allowed to submit anonymously, and her face lit up. "I hadn't thought of that," she said. "Thanks." I know how she feels. When I re-worked Close to the Edge, I didn't want to read too closely, knowing a lot of it would make me cringe.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/23 - Equalizer

The Equalizer, starring Brit stage actor Edward Woodward, ran on CBS for four seasons, ‘85-’89. It involved an ex-agent doing penance by helping people in dire straits who respond to an ad he posts in the newspaper. It had it moments, but largely stuck to the usual fare, the situation resolved by violence. It made few attempts to get at the psyche, similar to Person of Interest these days. The shows aimed at giving what most viewers want, visceral satisfaction. So does the 2014 theatrical version of the former starring Denzel Washington. It is the standard army-of-one action fest fans enjoy, wherein the evil get their just desserts. If only it were so easy in real life. Al Qaeda and ISIS would be wiped out in weeks. This is by no means a bad film. It is simply routine, solid. I did not pause the DVD once the entire  two-hour-plus running time. Of course the events often border on ludicrous. These movies are fantasies, sheer entertainment. My only significant complaint is that it’s a bit more graphic than it needs to be. It was successful at the box office, though not a blockbuster, bringing in $101 million in the U.S. alone on a budget of $55 million. The flick has two special assets: an appearance by the chameleon-like Melissa Leo, one of the greatest supporting players of all-time, who, 54, has amassed 115 credits; and the cinematography of Mauro Fiore. Having never heard of this goombah, I looked up his bio. He was born in Calabria, Italy and won an Oscar for his work on Avatar (2010). My curiosity about famous Calabrese was aroused. There is a very long list at Wiki. Here are names I recognized during a quick scan: Charles Atlas, and actors Nick Mancuso, Anthony Carbone and, most notably, the great Raf Vallone. 171,000+ users at IMDb have rated The Equalizer, forging to a consensus of 7.2 of ten. On a scale of five, I say three. It was directed by Antoine Fuqua, who has 20 credits that include shorts, videos and a documentary.

As I approached the lobby door this morning at about 6:30, I looked through the window and spotted a hooded male kneeling at the door of the outer trash room. I figured he was trying to break in and was thinking how disappointed he would be. He took off as soon as he heard the door open. His intent wasn’t theft but mayhem. He’d set fire to a large, crushed cardboard box that was inside another. There was a plastic bag full of garbage beside them. I separated the two and stomped out the flames. It’s unlikely that any significant damage would have been done, but who knows? What motivated the guy? Drunkenness? Revenge for a slight? Mental disorder? Weird. I wouldn’t recognize him if he passed right in front of me. It was a fleeting glimpse. I don't even recall the color of his hoodie. It reminds me how often TV detectives complain about the unreliability of eye witnesses.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought books today on Bay Parkway, especially B.S. Bob, who stopped for one of his lengthy visits. Convinced that the untold story of Benghazi is the theft of Khadafy's gold by the Clintons, he believes Hillary orchestrated the death of JFK Jr., who, had he run for NY's senate seat, would have ended her career. I despise Billary, but I don't believe either accusation is true. People are funny, as Art Linkletter used to say.
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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/22 - Unpossessed

Jon Fasman, the son of immigrants, was educated at Brown University and Oxford, and worked as a journalist before turning to fiction, a track so many before him have taken. He has been published in the NY Times and its magazine and Slate. I just finished the second of his two novels, The Unpossessed City. It is the story of a young American suburbanite whose parents escaped the Soviet Union. He incurs a gambling debt he cannot pay off immediately, which leads him to take a job in Moscow as a researcher delving into the memories of citizens who were imprisoned. The plot, which is put on hold for long stretches, involves kidnappings. It is not nearly as interesting as the glimpses of the changing city, a decade and a half after the fall of communism (published 2008). It smacks of authenticity. Fasman lived and worked in Moscow for a time. The main character relishes the challenges the city demands: “…the extremes of brutality and warmth…the way the city and its people nurtured their scars; the salutary effects of difference, of being forced to figure out and to improvise rather than taking life and its patterns for granted; the lusts unleashed after decades of repression; the honest vibrancy…” And later: “A very Russian answer: the world is irredeemably fallen and the natural tendency is for everything to go wrong, but only a fool ever expects anything else, and I am no fool.” How accurate is the portrayal? In the acknowledgments Fasman states: “Ordinary makes bad copy.” And he admits to having never met any U.S. government officials stationed in Moscow. These tempered my enthusiasm. Still, the book offers an absorbing look at a city in transition. Eleven readers have rated the book at Amazon, forging to a consensus of 4.5 of five. I say 3.5. It is a tad over-written and there were instances where I couldn't quite grasp the author's thoughts, but anyone interested in that mysterious part of the world would likely find it worthwhile. It is 336 pages.

My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases and donations today, especially the couple who now acquire books strictly through Kindle. As soon as the woman said it I asked if she would mind a little self-promotion on my part. I showed her my books and wrote my name on a piece of paper, hoping she'll seek my Amazon author page. As far as I know, the Lady Eve is the only reader to have followed up on my sales pitch on the street. She has downloaded four of my works. That sense of futility, of bucking the odds, is relentless and must always be overcome.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/21 - 65

I've reached a significant milestone, my 65th birthday. It is bittersweet, as the future becomes shorter and even more unknown. I'll know the results of my check up next Thursday when I will also have an EKG and the ever popular rectal exam. Fortunately, I realize how lucky I've been. I've had the time to apply myself to goals. I wasn't cheated of years by the unfortunate twist of fate many suffer. Except for minor instances, my health has been good. Today I will quietly celebrate and, hopefully, resist the urge to proclaim my birthday aloud in the desperate hope for best wishes. Every day is a gift. That is something easy to lose sight of in light of disappointments. I will try to remember how easy I've had it, how that path was smoothed by my parents, sister, other relatives and friends. Some families endure terrible pain. The only difficult aspect of Facebook is reading news of the passing of friends and acquaintances. Some get clobbered by the loss of a child, as illustrated by the following:
"On May 21, 2011 Ryan was born and much too quickly gone. His life has had a lasting effect on us. We invite you on what would be his 4th birthday to spread happiness and joy in his name. Go out of your way to do something nice for someone else. Tape a dollar or two to a vending machine (with a note with Ryan's name). Pay for the person behind you in line. Hold open a door for a mom with a stroller. Pay a stranger a compliment. Make a donation in Ryan's name. (Face 2 Face or Rochester Area Preschool would be happy to accept!) The possibilities are endless! Whatever act or acts you do please come on this event page and let us know. And please share this around! The more the merrier. Thank you for helping us celebrate Ryan today and always."
I decided to offer a buy-one-get-one deal at the floating book shop. Although the weather was not conducive to street sales, I did manage to make three people happy. I wish it had been a lot more. I didn't mention the cause to any browsers, as I didn't want anyone to feel guilty or obligated to make a purchase. My thanks to those kind folks who did.

Cablevision has added two new channels, Laff (108 in NYC) and Decades (112). In prime time the former has focused on back to back episodes of 90's comedies, Spin City, which I refuse to watch because it is based on politics; and The Drew Carey Show, which I always found disappointing in its descent to the lowbrow humor, although I enjoyed the nasty banter between the star and Mimi. At ten the channel airs a film comedy. So far, not one in two weeks has interested me. Last night Decades aired a marathon of The Fugitive. I enjoyed an episode where Richard Kimble returns to his home town after learning his 70-year-old father, also a physician, has suffered a heart attack. His sister, younger brother and nephews were also included. I hope Combat, Naked City and The X-Files will be resurrected.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/20 - Objectivity

Why is anyone surprised George Stephanopoulos is in the tank for the Clintons? He wasn’t hired for objective reporting. He was hired for his name and because he is telegenic, which ABC hoped would increase ratings and in turn attract greater advertising dollars. The only reporter I hear regularly that seems completely unbiased is Jaime Dupree. Billed as “the most connected man in Washington,” he is interviewed most days on radio by Sean Hannity just after the four PM news. Dupree has frustrated Hannity, who constantly tries to get him to tip his hand. Dupree claims not to vote in elections so that he will never lose objectivity.

Those evil Koch brothers are at it again. Yesterday David donated $150 million to Sloan-Kettering. This brings their overall total to cancer research to 1.2 billion. Of course, this infuriates the left, who accuse them of all sorts of sins and say their donations are merely cover. Even if that were true, so what? I guess the only penance liberals accept is from their own.

Decades ago the press and NBA fans cried conspiracy when the Knicks got the luck of the draw and the first pick in the draft, which led to Patrick Ewing, which put the franchise on firm ground for a long time. There were no such accusations yesterday, as the team suffered the bad luck of falling to fourth in the pecking order, despite having finished with the second-worst record. Barring the unforeseen, it is a huge blow.

I enjoyed the surprises in the season finale of The Flash. Only trouble is, since they had to do with altering a timeline, they can all be undone. That would be manipulative, almost like cheating.

Everyone receives pleas for charitable contributions in the mail. Since I’m not making a lot of money these days, my giving is limited to Wounded Warriors, and it‘s not much. Yesterday I got a huge package from a veterans’ association I believe crosses the line. It included a calculator, notepad, date book and pen. The expected donation was circled, $15. It seemed coercion, arrogance. I put everything back into the envelope and wrote Return to Sender on it. Of course, it engendered guilt, which is its intent, but that’s all it raised.

Occupy Jack showed up with a bunch of posters he'd just picked up from the print shop across the street. He sells them in downtown Manhattan. I introduced him to Marie and Anell, who wish me well each time they pass the floating book shop. Each bought one of the posters. Jack was so happy he gave me a finder's fee, a buck. I wish he'd left it at that. He went into one of his lectures on the Middle East. He has it all solved. I didn't argue, hoping to get it over with as soon as possible. One of the posters was of a ballet dancer standing on one foot atop that famous statue of the bull. He mentioned that he a few cohorts had planned to remove its horns and cojones, but changed their minds at the last minute. "That's private property, a work of art," I said. "So what?" he replied. I told him it would be like me taking the posters away from him and tearing them to shreds simply because I disagreed with their message. He turned red, knowing he was got. Later, he gave Ol' Smoky a quarter in exchange for two pieces of rolling paper. My thanks for the show and the cash, and also to the kind folks who bought books on this blustery day.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/19 - Reminder

Today I was reminded how it is to work for someone else, and how much I hate it. I was out the door at seven AM, accompanying a friend to the doctor in downtown Brooklyn. It was rush hour. Traffic crawled along Ocean Parkway. She had a growth removed from her nose and came out looking like a prize fighter. It was only nine-thirty. The situation was looking good. The plastic surgeon was only a block and a half away. Every time I pass that stretch I think of Bob Dylan's Tangled Up in Blue: "I lived with them on Montague Street, In a basement down the stairs..." This phase was supposed to take from a half hour to 45 minutes. I went for a walk, hoping she'd be ready by the time I got back. Yeah, right. She was in there three-and-a-half hours, the surgeon called away for several emergencies, one of which was a prolonged tantrum thrown by a boy of about ten. I wondered why he was accompanied by two adults, his mom and a burly blonde. He was fine in the waiting room. I don't know what happened inside. Anyway, afterward my friend wanted to treat me to barbecued chicken at a nearby restaurant. Of course, as I expected, parking was unavailable. She drove around the block three times before giving up. By the time we got to the burger joint in Park Slope, it was almost four. The new owner was our waiter. My friend was miffed when he charged 45 cents for fried onions. I understand him perfectly. He's trying to run a business and has to find out how to stay afloat. She told me quietly she wouldn't tip him. "I only tip workers," she whispered. I didn't tell her what I thought, which wasn't pretty. While she was powdering her battered nose, I tipped the guy on the QT. Earlier I'd bought her a 20 ounce Diet Coke. She gave me less than double what she normally does, plus the free meal, so I still came out way ahead. Still, I'd rather do the floating book shop even if it brings in only a few bucks. It was after five by the time we left the restaurant -- rush hour. I hate the way she drives. Making a left, she will veer a bit into the oncoming lane. She frequently stops in a crosswalk. At one point leaving Park Slope there's a tricky turn. I tell her to get all the way over. She doesn't and then gets mad at the drivers who cut her off. After we park, it takes her at least 15 minutes to get to her apartment, a walk of two minutes for most people. "Patience," I tell myself again and again; "it's almost over." It was a few minutes to six when I got home. A quick shower, and here I am, doing what I do. A 60's stream is playing Spooky by the Classics IV. There'll be less money tomorrow, but it will be a lot better day.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/18 - Rhyme & Reason

On his radio talk show this morning, Mark Simone quipped that we've gone from Martin Luther King"s "I have a dream" to Al Sharpton's "I have a scheme." Kudos.

The temperature took a big drop today. Still, one guy overdid it. He had his hood pulled over his head and earmuffs on top of them. I suppose it's possible he has a medical issue -- or a mental one.

Red-faced, smiling and reeking of booze, one of the newest members of the local drinking crew offered me a dollar this afternoon. "For good luck," she said in a Russian accent. "No, thank you," I replied, knowing she would soon need it for a refill. She seems a lot younger than the middle age man whose company she keeps, but she is aging fast.

Herbie, one of my regulars, says Russian women knock each other over at the library to get at Danielle Steel translations. Yet the dozen or so I have on display at the floating book shop are being ignored. Herbie is in the midst of a misadventure. Sound asleep at two in the morning last night, there was a knock at his door. It was the woman in the apartment below him. She has complained to management about noise. It is either coming from another flat or there is a plot to harass him out of his rent-controlled living space or the woman is nuts. In a large complex, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of sound.

My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases today, and to the Russian woman who donated a bunch of children's books, including a pristine copy of Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/17 - Stuff

There was a lot of good stuff in today’s NY Post. Starting with the most significant, kudos to Delta Forces, which pulled off a daring raid that killed Abu Sayyaf, the head of the oil and gas black market operations of ISIS. The intention was to capture him, but resistance was so fierce there was no choice. 19 of the enemy were killed, while Delta suffered no losses. Sayyaf’s wife and many computers and documents were also seized.

In the business section, Jonathon Trugman cites a stat that negates the happy talk about the economy. 89% of those earning minimum wage are over the age of 20. Teens are getting squeezed out of the job market by adults desperate for work. Trugman argues that raising the minimum wage won’t do much to relieve the problem. What’s needed are the well-paying jobs of a dynamic economy.

In a fascinating article, Maureen Callahan profiles Cole Cohen, who was born with a hole in her brain the size of a lemon. Cohen has written a book, Head Case, about her struggle. Remarkably, the young woman, in her 20’s, is now living on her own, despite cognitive difficulties. Had the hole been in another area, she would have been completely incapacitated, probably dead. Here's the book's great cover:

Chip off the old block: Dominique Sharpton, 28, eldest child of the Reverend Al, is suing NYC for five million for an injury incurred in a sidewalk fall. She sprained an ankle. In the past 22 months NYC has paid 60 million to settle such claims.

A blurb on the main op-ed page provided an interesting bit of useless information. A poll on civic pride found that residents of Des Moines, Iowa, have the highest rate, 76.5%. The lowest? Fayetteville, Arkansas, 12.5% -- what the heck is going on there? New York scored 59.7%. I'm surprised it's so low. Even a conservative like me is proud to be a New Yorker.

My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases at the floating book shop, and to the young woman who donated about 40 books of impressive variety. I'd guess she's 18, and she's reading across a wide range that includes Free Masonry, Japanese authors, anime and grammar and writing manuals, as well as some popular fare. It will be interesting to see how much interest some of the works attract.
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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/16 - Splice

How many times has it been done -- the cautionary tale of scientists creating new life forms, playing God, and the disastrous results that follow? That is the plot of Splice (2009), which I watched last night courtesy of Netflix. The talented Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley star as geniuses who combine the DNA of humans and animals. Although there are a few startling scares, the film is more a creep-fest. It hovers on the line between goofy and compelling. While the story lacks freshness, the performance of French model/actress/DJ Delphine Chaneac as the hybrid lends much needed vibrancy. Despite her, the flick never rises above average. It was directed by Detroit native Vincenzo Natali, who collaborated with others on the screenplay. He has 18 credits at IMDb, the most notable being multiple episodes of TV’s Hannibal. 74,000+ users at IMDb have rated Splice, forging to a consensus of 5.8 of ten. I agree. Remember when the likes Whit Bissell and Hugh Marlowe would play scientists? I guess it was inevitable that such roles would evolve to suit the young in modern audiences. I wonder if it has any relationship to the real world. In a bit of irony, the acronym for the movie’s institute is NERD. No one on the staff seems like one. They are hipster scientists. Here are pics of Bissell and Marlowe:

Here's the gist of an article posted at Yahoo. I took the liberty of editing it: "Two women who took a writing class at Columbia University found that their own stories are better than fiction. They are sisters born to the same teenage mother in the early 1980s and adopted by different families. Lizzie Valverde and Katy Olson discovered their connection in 2013. Valverde grew up in New Jersey while Olson grew up mostly in Florida and Iowa. Both moved to New York as adults and enrolled in Columbia's School of General Studies. Olson figured out the connection when Valverde introduced herself to the writing class and talked about being adopted.

My thanks to Ron, who purchased Rising Star today on Bay Parkway, and to Jack of Chase, who bought a Christopher Reich thriller.

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/l84h63j

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

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

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

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

The Writer's Life 5/15 - Lucille

RIP blues legend B.B. King, 89. He influenced countless musicians, collaborating with many, most notably Eric Clapton. The son of sharecroppers, he was awarded 15 Grammys and named to the rock and blues halls of fame. Several nightclubs around the country bear his name. His signature song, The Thrill Is Gone, has captivated millions. He dubbed his Gibson guitar "Lucille." My favorite track of his is his collaboration with U2 on When Love Comes To Town. The contrast between his sound and Edge’s is awesome, and his vocal is edgy and passionate. Well done, sir. Thank you.

Just when it seemed politics and journalism could sink no further, they have. Democrats are blaming the train derailment on Republicans, citing the old liberal talking point, "inadequate funding." The train was traveling 106 mph in a 50 mph zone! A pseudo-journalist had the gall to ask John Boehner if efforts to limit Amtrak funding led to the accident. Peeved, the House Speaker said: "Are you really going to ask such a stupid question?" For the record, in March the GOP led House passed a bill that guarantees current spending levels through 2019, despite the fact that the system loses millions of dollars annually. It turns a profit only in the Northeast corridor.

It appears I’ve had a bit of fluky good luck. While updating Microsoft security measures, the Google Chrome portal was uploaded to my machine. I’ve been using an outdated version of IE to avoid the pop-up plague my downloading of Word brought with it. When I clicked on "Learn More" this morning, a message appeared stating whether I wanted to include a program that seemed questionable. I clicked No and, by golly -- no pop-ups! Thus far the performance of my PC has improved significantly. And I can again add pics to the blog. The only drawback so far has been the odd performance of Bookmarks. Rather than a simple menu appearing, I'm taken to a different page. If that's the only negative, it's a helluva trade-off. There’s nothing like dumb luck.

My thanks to the woman who bought my entire stock of Danielle Steel novels in English, and three other romances, and to the woman who purchased a Steel in Russian.

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/l84h63j

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/