The Writer's Life 7/31 - Lucky 13

Sometimes I wonder if I’m too cynical about politicians, then I read something in the paper and come to my senses. Case in point: NY assembly Democrats have reneged on an agreement to retroactively strip the corrupt of pensions. Among those who will enjoy retirement at taxpayer expense -- once she gets out of jail: Joyce Mitchell, the creep who helped the two murderers escape from prison.

The pilot of a private plane, in flight, dropped his cell phone, which fell 9300 feet into a field. Using his Find My Iphone app, he found it, a little scratched but still working! Maybe I should cancel that stop order I put in for my hundred shares of Apple.

The dry air was most welcome after the past few days of high humidity. Standing or sitting in the shade was a joy, as there was a pleasant breeze blowing along Avenue Z. I had to break out my pigeon Spanish when a young Latino asked about the children's books I displayed. He bought four. Gracias, amigo, and also to the other kind folks who bought books. I had several lengthy chats, two involving frustration with health care. Herbie was pissed at the rigmarole he's going through trying to get his insulin. For some reason, the venue wants not only a signature on a fax but a verbal confirmation from the doctor. Joan is stressed out because her physician lied to her about acquiring a new walker, claiming they were unavailable through Medicare. Two of the wheels on her old one had been shaky for months, a third fell off yesterday. She can't get around, go shopping without one. Suspicious that the doctor was trying to drive business to a relative, she made a few phone calls. 30 minutes after the last, a new walker was delivered to her. True, government has made health care available to seniors and must be given credit, but the red tape and fraud is ridiculous.
A burly gentleman whom I hadn't seen in three weeks was on vacation in Spain. He's an electrician working for the city, his expertise in high demand. He is an art collector. While in Spain he bought a piece of Chinese jade at a low price at an auction. "They don't know what the ---- they're doing," he said. He has membership cards with Sotheby's and other houses.
The highlight of the day occurred when Mira approached, pushing a stroller. She's halfway through Rising Star, and dubbed it "awesome." She regrets that the care of her son doesn't allow her to read more. I sold a lucky 13 copies of my own books in July, bringing the 2015 total to 48. I sold only 47 in all of 2014. My thanks to everyone who has bought one.

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 7/30 - Steamed

Is this Deflate-Gate nonsense ever going to end?

I've tinkered with my stock portfolio. I've been waiting for Twitter to fall to $30 for about a year. When it went below $32, I put in an order to buy 100 shares. I behaved similarly with Facebook and the strategy provided a nice profit. I also put in a stop order at $120 for Apple. If it touches that price, my 100 shares will be sold, and I will net about $2500 after holding it a little more than a year. I did it for three reasons: Steve Jobs is no longer there; the Apple Watch tanked; competitors are catching up to the Iphone. Of course, my all time worst trading move was selling Apple at $25 just before Jobs returned to the company. Six months to a year later the Ipod hit the market, and the stock has rocked since then. Fortunately, I'd owned only 25 shares. I figure the move cost me ten grand, tip money by the standards of real traders. Look at it this way -- given my mediocre investing history, it may be a great signal to buy Apple if it falls to $120. Don;t say I didn't tell you.

It was pouring just after nine AM, so I decided it was a good time to redeem recyclables. I didn't bring an umbrella, and it felt great walking in the rain after the heat and humidity of the past two days. Unfortunately, there were two Asian women with huge bags of plastic bottles ahead of me and, of course, the third machine was out of order. In the middle of my turn, the machine I was using shut down. The attendant opened the cabinet door and went into a rant when he saw that one of the plastic bags was not properly in place. It was probably replaced by a civilian while he was out of the room. He had to shovel half the debris into the bag by gloved hands and was muttering the entire time. I bit back laughter and thanked him when he finished.

I was again lucky at the floating book shop, despite the steambath the rain had brought, as there was a large enough window between showers for me to open up. And Kinesha, aka Mrs. Eclectic, happened by with her daughter, who is suddenly as tall as she is. She bought seven paperbacks, including, at my suggestion, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I've never read it, but it is highly respected. I saw the movie and was turned off by its feminism. Thank you, madam, and also to the woman who bought two books in Russian. The highlight of the day was the appearance of Miguel, who makes pizza at Delmar, and who was carrying a couple of boxes of food. His adorable son was holding a bunch of balloons. "Cuantos anos tiene usted?" I asked, and he held up his hand, smiling, his missing teeth prevalent. "Cinco?" I said. "Wow!" Feliz cumpleano, amigo.

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 7/29 - Speech

On his talk radio show this morning, Mark Simone mentioned that upon completing her recent speech on the environment, which included curtailing carbon emissions, Hillary was aboard her private jet minutes later. "Do as I say..." "Can't make this stuff up."

I don’t expect anything but roadblocks from politicians, and I work around them, rarely letting their maneuvers infuriate me. Had Social Security and Medicare never been available, I would have saved even more money than I have and found a way to make do, especially since medical costs would likely have been far lower. I adapt. I scoff at a lot of the things government hacks do. For instance -- according to an article in the NY Post, an Indian restaurant was fined for discrimination in 2013 for posting an ad searching for an Indian waiter. Any mention of race is taboo. Busybodies regularly peruse listings such as Craigslist for “offenses.” The use of the word “waitress” is also forbidden. It must be “wait-person.” Sometimes…

A blurb in the Weird But True column cites the ingenuity of a master‘s candidate at the University of Manchester in the UK. To avoid paying high rent, he has pitched a tent in the backyard of a fellow student, whom he tutors in math and science as payment. Let's hope he doesn't waste his talents in politics.

The temperature was only a few degrees higher than yesterday, but the misery index was off the charts. Like yesterday, I expected little business, and was pleasantly surprised. My thanks to the kind folks who bought, donated and swapped books, especially my most faithful customer, Marie, who bought Rising Star.
A woman pulled up to the light at East 13th, leaned across the passenger seat and called out, offering a book: Screw Everybody: Sleeping my Way to Monogamy by Ophira Eisenberg.
Local mensch, Al, visited for about an hour. Seated in the shade, we discussed various topics. He mentioned The Filthy Speech Movement, of which I'd never heard. It grew out of The Free Speech Movement at Cal Berkeley in 1964-'65, and is believed by many to be the birth of student activism. According to Wiki, backlash against it led to Ronald Reagan's election as governor.
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 7/28 - Day In

Yesterday I received notification of a class action suit vs. Facebook. I threw it in the trash. FB has been a boon to me. I made a few grand on the stock, and the site allows to me to advertise my works for free. Many of my sales are directly attributable to it. And it has allowed me to remain in contact with people I would likely have never heard from again, and to make new friends. How, in good conscience, could I join a lawsuit against it?

Last night at ten Decades, channel 112 on Cablevision in NYC, ran back to back episodes of Peter Gunn, the detective series that ran from 1958-’61, 114 episodes. I watched a few when it first went into syndication in the 60‘s. Like most everyone else, I don’t remember much about it besides its stars, Craig Stevens and Lola Albright and, of course, the theme, which Henry Mancini composed, garnering him several awards. As far as I know, Sarah Vaughn has done the only vocal of it, and it rocks. Here’s a link to that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZgy9MblMg8 The show runs only a half-hour. It is gritty, mini film noir featuring jazzy music. I was shocked when the lovely Albright, in the series debut, did Day In, Day Out (Music: Rube Bloom, lyrics Johnny Mercer), which has been covered by every successful interpreter of standards since its debut in 1939. Albright’s take was more spoken than sung. Apparently, her range was very limited. Still, she did 38 songs on the show and recorded two albums, which I would guess appealed to the fantasies of men. Judge for yourself --here's a clip of her doing How High the Moon (M: Morgan Lewis, Lyrics: Nancy Hamilton) in which she sings traditionally and conservatively: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4jFd0XYYb0 She has 97 credits listed at IMDb, not counting multiple appearances on many TV shows. Born in 1925, married three times, she is still living. She has made only one appearance since 1984, in an episode of The 3 Bits, which shot only four shows and for which there is not much info available. Here is a pic of her in her prime:

Today's session of the floating book shop was one that highlighted its unpredictable nature. Given the heat, I wasn't expecting much activity and when a gentleman immediately bought five books I was happy that opening paid off. What was really surprising was that donors assumed I'd be there. Four dropped off marketable books. Even when the sun encroached on the major portion of the display, a few people still made purchases. Thanks, folks. I, of course, kept to the shade 99% of the 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 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 7/27 - Switcheroo

An alternate method of fracking may bolster the dormant economy of upstate New York, where abundant natural gas lies a mile underground in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. Propane fracking doesn’t require the injection or disposal of water. Introduced by a Canadian firm, the practice has been in use seven years. Of course, environmentalists who view fossil fuels as evil will do their best to ban this method as well, and liberal governor Andrew Cuomo very well may cave, despite the fact that the area just across the border in Pennsylvania has revived because of fracking. (From an article in the NY Post)

Pee outdoors at your peril in San Francisco, where nine walls have been coated with a special paint that repels liquids back at the source. Wasn't karma invented in SF in the 60's?

To my dismay, I just read that Alec Baldwin is in Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation, the fifth installment in the series. which I will not view until it becomes available at Netflix. I hope he plays a bad guy who gets his just desserts.

I had a vivid dream last night. I was walking toward the old house on Bay 37th, looked up and saw an icy cloud moving toward the roof. It glanced against it and showered the entrance with debris. Moments later I spotted a tall building moving in the background. Two businessmen were nearby, oblivious. I pulled them out of harm’s way. None of us seemed particularly fazed by the event. I wonder if the root of the dream is my attitude toward global warming. Oh, I forgot - it's now "climate change." All I know is that spring and summer in NYC have been great so far, but I'm sure there are places on the planet that are suffering extremes. Is it any different than in the past? I don't know. I hate the certainty of environmental zealots. I believe climate change, if it even exists, is just as likely to have been caused by the activity on the sun as by the burning of fossil fuels.

The ol' switcheroo worked wonders for the floating book shop the past two days. My thanks to Maria, who bought Killing today on Bay Parkway. Yesterday Alice bought A Hitch in Twilight in Park Slope. Since the total volume of sales was less than usual, I don't believe it was anything more than dumb luck, the right person happening along at the right time, not a trend. I sold only one other book, a fantasy to a cute teenager smoking a Marlboro. When I said "Enjoy," she replied "I shall." Love it!

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 7/26 - Capital

Banks have been stingy to small business owners since the start of the financial crisis and the government regulations that followed. A new alternative has arisen -- online lending. In an article in today’s NY Post, Catherine Curan cites Fundation, which charges an initiation fee of 2% and an interest rate of 15% over 2.5 years. Applicants must have a credit score of 660-730 to qualify. So far politicians are not forcing the firm to lend to the unqualified, as they did banks concerning mortgages, which contributed greatly to the financial meltdown. Loans have been approved in ten minutes, the average being $100,000.

Also in the Post, Larry Getlen summarizes a new book: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by Greg Steinmetz. His name is Jacob Fugger. He died in the early 1500’s. Born to merchants, many consider him the world’s first capitalist. Before him, charging interest on a loan was considered criminal. At one time his wealth was 2% of Europe’s GDP. No one, even in these modern times of incredible wealth, has come close to that figure.

I smelled something funny last night. I found out what it was on my morning walk when I ran into Mike, who was out with his little dog. Recently, the underground wires in one of the buildings of our Atlantic Towers complex were replaced, as the old ones had been corroded by the flood waters of Hurricane Sandy. They caught fire, forcing the evacuation of hundreds onto Avenue Z. Fortunately, the people were allowed to return once the flames had been doused. I’m glad our building wasn’t the first to be revamped.

I took the floating book shop to Park Slope today, setting up on 7th Avenue just off 4th Street, in front of John Jay H.S.. Parking was a snap, so I will return next Sunday. If I'd been patient, I would have snared the idle spot right at my back. Then again, I might not have sold any books if I had, as Alice and her husband filled that space and bought A Hitch in Twilight, the only sale of the session. My thanks.

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 7/25 - Names

Liam Neeson’s screen body count is probably still well short of Clint Eastwood’s. He did not add much to it in one of his most recent works, A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014). He dispatches only three dirt bags, two in the first few minutes. Based on the novel by Lawrence Block, the story concentrates on detective work, as the hero, a recovering alcoholic ex-cop, tracks down the psychopaths responsible for the kidnap and murder of family members of drug dealers. It is grim and taut, but would probably disappoint fans of the Taken series, where slime balls get their just desserts every few minutes. Of course, visceral satisfaction is guaranteed, only on a smaller scale. The film comes in under two hours and features great location shots in Red Hook, Brooklyn, I presume, and in Greenwood Cemetery. Made on an estimated budget of 28 million, it brought in almost 26 in the U.S. alone. I’m sure foreign ticket sales and DVD purchases and rentals pushed it well into profitability, continuing Neeson’s amazing run. Scott Frank directed, his third stint at the helm. He has also written 19 screenplays, several of them adaptations. So far his work has not risen above solid. 70,000+ users at IMDb have rated the flick, forging to a consensus of 6.5 of ten. There were a couple of aspects I didn’t like but, overall, I enjoyed it. On a scale of five, 3.2.

Here are the top ten box office names of all-time according to the-numbers.com. It includes several likely to be unfamiliar even to movie buffs, actors who have done voice-overs in animation mega-hits, and also Stan Lee of Marvel comics:
1. Samuel L. Jackson
2. Frank Welker
3. Stan Lee
4. Bob Bergen
5. John Ratzenberger (Cliff on Cheers)
6. Morgan Freeman
7. Tom Hanks
8. Liam Neeson
9. Mickie McGowan
10. Gary Oldman

To the delight of frustrated fans, the Mets have released outfielder John Mayberry Jr., who batted cleanup the other night despite an average of .170. I hadn’t seen such vitriol directed at a local player in a long time. Fortunately, the Yankees have no need of him. Chris Young struggled similarly with the Amazin’s last season. Picked up by the Bombers, he has delivered several big hits for them in a limited role. Somehow those pinstripes bring out the best in many marginal players. In a way, I feel sorry for Mayberry, who appears to be a solid citizen undeserving of such wrath, then I remember that he has been fortunate enough to have played at least parts of seven seasons in MLB, where the minimum salary has been at least $380,000 since he first appeared. It is $500,000 in 2015.

It was an above-average session of the floating book shop today on Bay Parkway. Natasha's husband showed up early and overpaid for three hardcovers. Then a gentleman who has bought two bags of Russian DVDs bought a third, the last of the haul that recently came into my possession. That alone would have been sufficient. Surprisingly, several people bought either one or two books. My thanks.

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 7/24 - Coney

The reason I decided to read Dreamland Social Club is its setting: Coney Island. Having been there countless times, taken in its attractions, frolicked in the ocean, dined on its famous foods, I was interested in Tara Altebrando’s vision. The novel is told from the point of view of a 16-year old whose family inherits the run down house of the maternal grandfather, whom she never met. Her mom left Coney Island and embarked on world travels with her husband. She died young, her daughter only six at the time. The house leaves clues to the mother’s life and personality, and the daughter gradually discovers her roots, including the club her mom founded. She attends Coney Island High School, which, as far as I know, does not exist. Most residents attend Lincoln H.S.. Several of my ex-teammates grew up in the enclosed, upper middle class Seagate section. Why they were zoned for Lafayette, no one knows. Does it matter that the school is fictional? It bothered me a little, but I still enjoyed the novel, which is geared to the Young adult market. Contrary to almost all modern works that focus on teens, the kids here are not sex and drug-crazed. Is that realistic? Perhaps not, but it is refreshing. The book features a colorful cast of characters one would expect to be growing up in such an environment. Throughout, there is the age-old conflict of old versus new, what long term residents want versus developers. Of course, modern Coney Island is a shell of what it was in its heyday, although it has been on the upswing the past 20 years. The girl’s active imagination conjures what it was like back in the day. She also deals with first love. The prose is not as polished as I prefer (maybe mine isn’t, either). Still, it is a fast read, although it seems drawn out at 389 pages. The novel, published in 2011, is the second of six the author has written, the last being a co-write. Altebrando grew up on Staten Island but has often visited Coney and she obviously did her research. 15 users at Amazon have rated the book, forging to a consensus of 4.1 of five. Unfortunately, none seems to be a resident of C.I.. I would have liked to have read an insider’s opinion. I rate it 3.2.

I'd just finished setting up the floating book shop when Lev showed. As I hoped, he was interested in the Russian DVDs and bought all 13 plus a book. That made the session immediately worthwhile. My thanks, and to the other kind folks who made purchases. Only one of the wares was in English -- Pet Miracles: Inspirational Stories of Our Beloved Animal Companions by Brad and Sherry Hansen Steiger.

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 7/23 - Fun Facts

Decades, channel 112 on Cablevision in NYC, is displaying a dismaying trend. It focuses on each day in terms of its historical relevance. Three times in the past two weeks it has showcased serial killers, Bundy, Speck, Dahmer, in prime time. Their stories dominated the headlines, but I wouldn't call them history.

On the other hand, Movies!, channel 113, continues to deliver. Last night at eight it ran Houdini (1953), starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh just as their stars were ascending. The film, criticized for its historical inaccuracies, is entertaining and endearing. In reading about it at IMDb, I discovered fun facts about two of the other artists involved. Director George Marshall has an astonishing 185 credits at the helm. He began doing shorts, several of which he wrote and appeared in, during the silent era, went on to feature films and ended in TV. Although none of his flicks is particularly noteworthy, respect is due for his long, prolific run. One of the supporting players, Ian Wolfe, whose face was only vaguely familiar, had an impressive run, amassing 300 credits from 1934 to 1995. In the latter part of his career he did many one-shots on popular TV shows. He lived until age 95. Here are pics of Wolfe, the master escape artist, and a poster from the movie:

Another surprise fun fact: Janet Leigh wrote four books: There Really Was a Hollywood, 1984--an autobiography; Psycho: Behind the Scenes of the Classic Thriller, 1995, co-authored with Christopher Nickens; House of Destiny, 1996, a novel; and The Dream Factory 2002, a novel. Here is a quote attributed to her about receiving second billing to her husband in Houdini: "I don't care if he's made one picture and I've made a hundred. I will always take second billing to my husband." They were married from 1951-1962 and had two children.

My thanks to the gentleman who donated about 25 books, the couple who donated about 50, a quarter of them in Russian, and to the kind folks who bought and swapped books on this glorious 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 7/22 - Here & There

RIP E. L. Doctorow, 84, Bronx born author of 12 novels, four story collections, a play, and other works, and recipient of many literary awards. His most successful work Ragtime, published in 1975, was named one of the 100 best works of the 20th century by the Modern Library editorial board. It was adapted to the screen in 1981 and received eight Oscar nominations. Well done, sir.

In an op-ed piece in today’s NY Post, Heather Bricetti argues against the minimum wage hike. Studies show that only 20% of the increase would go to those below the poverty line. 30% would go to those in households that earn three times the poverty level. If fast food joints raise prices to compensate for lost revenue, I won’t be patronizing them unless I have a coupon.

Despite the recent deal, Iran’s supreme leader has vowed to defy America's policies. Secretary of State John Kerry says the remarks are: “Very troubling.” All together: Duh!

The weather was ideal for a summer day, the northwest breeze very refreshing. My thanks to the young woman who bought a James Patterson co-write, to the one who bought a book in Russian, and to Al, who bought John Feinstein's Last Shot: Mystery at the Final Four, a novelization of the great event. My thanks also to the woman who donated three hardcover romances, and to the woman who donated five books in Russian, including a beautiful pictorial on Matisse. Here's his Woman with a Hat, done in Fauvism style, which is described at Wiki as "...emotion with wild, often dissonant colors, without regard for the subject's natural colors":

 

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 7/21 - Visitors

15 years ago SNL alum Al Franken had this to say about John McCain in a written essay: “I have tremendous respect for McCain but I don’t buy the war hero thing. Anybody can be captured. I thought the idea was to capture them. As far as I’m concerned he sat out the war.” This is similar to what Donald Trump has said. If he must forgo his candidacy because of the insensitive remarks, should Senator Franken give up his senate seat? The Minnesota liberal now claims he was joking. The incidents prove that politics turns people into the lowest form of life.

Yesterday I neglected to mention another interesting point Occupy Jack made during his hour long rant. Israeli-born, he criticizes the Middle East's only democracy more savagely than anything or anyone else. He said: "Israel used to be a proud, humble David. Now it wants to be a bullying Goliath." It is clever, but fails to remember that David went on to be king and led the Jews during one of their most successful periods. Jack also claims that Israel is not the technology innovator it is purported to be. "They steal the ideas," he says. I wonder what is at the root of his vitriol.

I had a visit from Hans, aka Mr. So Do Ku. Approaching 80, he wants to publish a second book of puzzles. He's never seen a dime of royalties from his first. I recommended Create Space, which does not charge a printing fee and lists its books on Amazon, of which it is an affiliate. That's where I placed Rising Star, and I'm very happy I did. Good luck, sir.

The cloud cover was most welcome today. It knocked a lot of the edge off the heat, although the humidity was still high. When a young woman approached the floating book shop, I was not sure if she was my dentist's wife, as she was solo, sans stroller and her four toddlers. I asked and she confirmed. She bought A Hitch in Twilight a couple of years ago and loved it, and wanted to know if I had another book of short stories. As of now, plans for another collection are not in the mix. The only thing that would change that is if a publisher asked me to submit one. Even so, only a handful of the stories would be in the style of those in Hitch. Jeanette then asked what I believe is my best novel. I picked Killing, although I wondered if she would enjoy Rising Star more. She bought it and, in gratitude, I allowed her to pick out four books for her kids. My thanks, and also to the woman who bought a large children's pictorial of bedtime tales. Thanks also to Madeline, Herbie and Cabbie, who each donated a paperback.

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 7/20 - Just Short

Jordan Spieth made a great run at capturing the British Open, which would have made him only the second man in PGA history to capture the first three majors of a season. Fellow Texan Ben Hogan was the first. He was doomed by a double bogie at the par three eighth. He rallied and missed a birdie putt at the 18th, or the last, as Brits call it, that would have put him into the four-hole playoff with Zach Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen and Mark Leishman. Johnson, 39, was one stroke better than Oosthuizen, winning his second major (2007 Masters). He now has a great chance at the Hall of Fame. Kudos, guys.

Donald Trump has to stop picking fights and start citing specifics about what he would do as President. True, John McCain attacked first, but so what? McCain is irrelevant to the run for the White House. The rest of the Republican field has seen that Trump has rabbit ears. Expect bombs to be thrown at him regularly to provoke reaction that may be embarrassing to him. The only danger is if he decides to be vindictive and run as a third party candidate, which would all but guarantee the presidency for Democrats.

Because of the heat, I intended to run the floating book shop for only two hours today. Things changed when Occupy Jack showed up at about one. He went on for nearly an hour, bless his heart. He may not be playing with a full deck but he is always a fun listen. I was seated in the shade on the ledge that surrounds the garden of the apartment where I set up most days. He stood before me in the shade, as energetic as always. He says Greece was bailed out not by other members of the European Union but by the war-mongering Pentagon, which feared Greece would align with Russia had it not received the funds. He believes a new U.N. should be created with eleven to 13 permanent members. He wants its first act to be the surrender of all nuclear bomb making material, and also wants countries to pledge compliance. Failure to comply will result in the violating country being bombed out of existence. When I asked how this made him better than any of the world's bad actors, he said: "It would prevent even more deaths." I told him he sounded as certain as a radical Muslim who believes anyone who does not convert should be killed. He described how he goes after Europeans who take pictures of his set-up at Union Square and refuse to make donations to the cause. If a Spaniard, Italian or German makes the excuse of having only Euros, he raises a hand above his head and says: "Heil Hitler," lampooning them for having surrendered their sovereignty. He believes that removing oil and natural gas from the earth diminishes the natural shield they provide that protects the planet from the nuclear fireball at its core. He is an original.

As for the operator of the floating book shop, who also must be a few cards short of a full deck to work on such a day, my thanks to the young man to whom I gave a student discount for a collection of vampire stories and to the gentleman who purchased The Longest Day: June 6th, 1944 by Cornelius Ryan.

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 7/19 - Parts

There were some interesting numbers in Kyle Smith’s op-ed piece in today’s NY Post. The last figures on the U.S. economy revealed a workforce participation rate of 62.7%, a 36-year low. In France it is 56%, Italy 49% - and there are many who wish America would become Euro-like. Smith also mentions a new campaign one country has begun. Alarmed at the low birth rate, officials took out an ad in a newspaper urging citizens to reproduce. It said: “Do it for Denmark.”

In an article criticizing the Iranian deal, Amir Taheri states: “To admire this regime because of Iranian culture is like admiring Hitler for Goethe and Beethoven and praising Stalin for Pushkin and Tchaikovsky.”

Last night, courtesy of Netflix, I watched the third and final part of Atlas Shrugged, Who Is John Galt? (2014). Although Ayn Rand’s ideas remain compelling, the film comes off as shallow and unconvincing. The main problem, just as in the novel, is that it's too close to science fiction. The characters are either villainous government hacks or heroic capitalists. It is more like propaganda than drama. It proposes a nightmare scenario unlikely to occur, although many conservatives would argue that it has already begun. There are two instances that are particularly ludicrous: a sex scene at a crucial moment when a railroad is in jeopardy, and the almost Christ-like pose of Galt as he is being tortured. Part One was good, Part Two mediocre, Part Three terrible. I do not recommend the novel but instead The Fountainhead, which, although long, is much shorter, more grounded, and contains the exact same philosophy. Leftists still are incensed by Rand’s views, particularly “Selfishness is a virtue,” which is akin to Gordon Gekko's "Greed is good" in Wall Street (1987). The difference is Gekko is a criminal and Rand's characters, even the cynical media mogul of The Fountainhead, are not. Liberals refuse to accept that humans are driven by self interest, that even charitable giving is motivated by it. The vitriol directed at Rand is astonishing. In an episode of Elementary, Holmes disparages her followers, although he is a selfish, driven egomaniac Rand would likely have admired. There are weaknesses in her philosophy, but its foundation is solid. Read The Fountainhead and decide. Do not expect to glean its essence from the 1949 film version starring Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal.

The floating book shop's good luck continued, despite the heat. My thanks to Sheila, who bought Killing, to the gentleman who bought all 18 of the Russian DVDs I had on hand, to B.S. Bob, who purchased James Patterson's Witch & Wizard for his granddaughter, and to the woman who bought a popup version of The Little Mermaid.

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 7/18 - Luck

I wasn't optimistic about selling books when I left the building this morning at 9:45. Although it wasn't a heavy rain, the forecast called for possible showers throughout the day. Things got better at the old house. There was leftover shrimp in the fridge and sis said I was welcomed to it. It was a great lunch. It was very overcast as I made my way to the front of Chase at Bay Parkway and 85th. I didn't think I'd be there long. I could hear the fire and brimstone coming from the corner of 86th, where two of the preachers were railing. I spotted Jack as he was just about to enter the bank and called out to him. I had a couple of thrillers I knew he would be interested in -- if he hadn't read them. He hadn't, so I was happy that the session wouldn't be a total loss if the skies suddenly opened up. Later, while Ralph was picking out four works of non-fiction, Johnny happened along and asked if I'd yet gotten any Sherlock Holmes. I hadn't, but as luck would have it he spotted Rising Star and had to have it. Throughout our conversation I wasn't sure if he was kidding me or trying to play me. "Was that five bucks?" he said. "Ten," I returned, although I feared he would back out of the deal, even though it came with three other books, two political works and a James Patterson co-write hardcover, all in very good condition. He was a character. Then another came along -- Bad News Billy. I hadn't seen him in a long time, as he'd worn out his welcome at Chase. He had to withdraw more than 200 bucks from the ATM to settle his bill with the gas company. As usual he insisted on giving me money and I ran to my car and brought back five VHS tapes of popular movies, which included the original RoboCop (1987). I was tempted to leave early to beat the rain. I'm glad I didn't. Soon Carl approached, and focused on the sign hung round my neck. He removed large headphones, and I summarized each of the five remaining of my books. He chose A Hitch in Twilight. He once worked in the web department of St. Martin's Press. Finally, an old timer, James, took a thorough look at the wares. He regretted that he no longer had the patience to read. We got to talking and he mentioned that he'd lived in the area his entire life and was a graduate of Lafayette H. S., class of '62. We reminisced about fishing along the Belt Parkway, then he wished me luck and went on his way. My thanks to these fine folks and to the others who purchased books. Some days the percentages simply turn in one's favor. It seems they're bound to if you make the effort to be out there.

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 7/17 - Old Friends

All men and women in uniform stateside should be allowed to carry guns to protect themselves.

I rarely leave the apartment once I return from selling books. I’ve allowed myself to sink into a routine and resist most lures to shake me from it even for a night. Fortunately I resisted the known comforts of home last night and met with old friends at the venerable Gargiulo’s Restaurant in Coney Island. There were seven of us, all linked by our football experiences at Lafayette H. S.. I’ve communicated with all of them via the web. I got together with Ralph Betesh, Carmine Russo and Steve Lombardi and others about ten years ago. I hadn’t seen Joe Palo since 1968, although we communicated briefly at classmates.com. I hadn’t seen Steve Frank since he made a recruiting stop for Norwich University at LHS in 1977. The last time I saw Coach Marty Senall was the day his South Shore H.S. team won the city championship, circa 1980. 72, he still plays racquetball. I mention him several times in my second novel, Adjustments, a copy of which I gave him as we were saying goodbye. I will forever appreciate the positivism he and Coach Adler brought to our program the year after a hellish season where we lost every game and did not score a touchdown until the final minute of the last. He is a football lifer, having coached for decades. He now oversees a leg of a national seven on seven tournament, sponsored by the NFL, in Arizona, where he lives. Joe Palo, retired, the only one present who has not coached football, did very well in the pharmaceutical industry. He had the honor of delivering the commencement address at his alma mater, UConn, in 2012. Brought up on the streets of Coney Island, he now lives in Connecticut. His first grandchild is about to come into the world. Steve Frank is the winningest coach in the history of Hamilton College, where he spent 18 years. I’m not sure where Steve Lombardi worked, but he is comfortably retired, playing golf and softball. He may be the only American to have dated two women named Sydney, in H.S. and his bride. Carmine retired from teaching and moved upstate. He plays guitar, often in a band with his sons. Ralph Betesh, our captain, owns Double Discount in the Bronx and also has his hand in other ventures, He goes to synagogue every day. The latter two fine men have significant roles in Adjustments. If Carmine resents anything I said about him, it didn’t show. He gave me a big hug upon meeting and departing. As we hit the parking lot, stuffed from the fine food, the Parachute Jump and its neon lights stood out beautifully in the background. The screams of those riding the new rollercoaster were clear as a bell in the gorgeous summer night. The older I get, the more I appreciate those who have been in my life. I am privileged to know them. Here’s a pic, which a staffer was kind enough to take on three separate cameras:

Top row, l to r, Steve Frank, Yours Truly, Steve Lombardi, Ralph Betesh. Bottom: Joe Palo, Marty Senall, Carmine Russo.

Great news: Hostess is contemplating introducing a frozen, deep fried Twinkie.

My thanks to the kind folks who donated and bought wares today. For the second time this week a gentleman addressed me in Italian. Dmitri, who is in his third semester of studying what many believe is a dying language, called me: "Mi amico preferito." Grazie.

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 7/15 - Warning

I just heard that four Marines have been killed in what looks like an act of domestic terrorism. Although the name of the assailant has already been established, I won't comment on the incident until more is known. According to Sean Hannity, ISIS issued a warning about it. The ensuing amusing tidbits may seem inappropriate.

There has been a fad in NYC’s five boroughs that has been around for years. Old sneakers are laced together and hurled into the air with the aim of snaring them on electric wires, where they remain for months, if not years. People in Portland, Oregon have taken this a few steps further, doing it with sex toys. This lends new meaning to the phrase “burning up the wires,“ although an electric company spokesmen assures it is not a fire hazard. In a similar vein, a friend recently sent me a short video on subliminal messaging in advertising, some of which showed hidden phallic symbols. It got me to thinking that I should redo my book covers.

This morning radio talk show host Mark Simone mentioned that Barrack Obama would be the first president to visit with prisoners, then quipped: "He's meeting with his base." Even liberal news anchor Joe Barlett roared with laughter.

The first round of the British Open is done. Dustin Johnson is showing no ill effects from his collapse at the U.S. Open. He leads at seven under. My hunch, Paul Lawrie, is five under, as is Jordan Spieth. 88 golfers shot par or better. Tiger Woods? Plus four.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought, donated and swapped books on this glorious summer day, especially Kinesha, aka Mrs. Eclectic, who bought seven paperbacks, and Cabbie who bought six. Recently, a woman asked me to hold Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind if I ever came across it. The wish has been fulfilled.

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 7/15 - Rain Delay

In today’s NY Post, its modern music critic, Hardeep Phull, profiles Royal Blood, a hard-rockin’ Brit band that has only two members, drummer Ben Thatcher and bassist Mike Kerr. Among its fans are Jimmy Page, Howard Stern, and Dave Grohl of Nirvana/Foo Fighters fame. Using an “array of effects pedals and sonic trickery, Kerr gives his bass enough punch to do the job of several guitars.” Will the twosome be the next big thing? Judge for yourself. Here’s a link to a live track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X8fQD3CL5I It is only three minutes and change. There is also an excellent video of it that features only actors -- and no lip-synching! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhgVu2lsi_k Before it, there is an ad which can be clicked off after five seconds, and a parental advisory for content I found mild by today's standards.

That huge pile of snow in Boston has finally melted away. It was laden with 80 tons of garbage the plows swept up along with the white stuff.

In an article at Yahoo Sports, NBA commissioner Adam Silver states that the league has taken in record revenue. Despite this, ten of the 30 teams are losing money.

It rained from about 10 AM until three PM, and there was thunder and lightning as well. I took a stroll to CVS and decided to set up shop for an hour-and-a-half. My thanks to Paisano, who bought a thriller and a cowboy romance, and to Glove, who purchased a beautiful book of children's stories. I had a nice laugh when a gentleman stopped and asked if I spoke Russian. I told him I was Italian, and he said: "Italiani sono buoni a mangiare macaroni." It's hard to believe I'd never heard that before.
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 7/14 - Sharing

In an op-ed piece in today’s NY Post, Rich Lowry defends what has been dubbed the “sharing economy,” new firms such as Uber and AirNB, which offer consumers lower cost and often more efficient alternatives. Naturally, taxi cab companies and drivers want protection from the better mouse trap. In France, taxi drivers burned Uber cabs and the government has banned them. In NYC, officials are looking into AirNB. I think anyone should be able to offer his apartment to guests for a fee, provided the apartment is not rent-controlled. In her economic message, delivered yesterday, Hillary made veiled references to these entrepreneurs, whom she believes are a detriment. She is also against the 10% tax scheduled to go into effect in 2018 on Cadillac health benefits. That’s no surprise. I’m sure Democrats will fight for the union waivers, protecting them from the punishments Obamacare delivers to the private sector. Bill Clinton once mentioned a “Bridge to the 21st century.” Lowry closed his piece by saying of leftists: “…They just want to travel the other way” on it.

Harper Lee’s long awaited second novel, Go Set a Watchman, has been released. The manuscript has been around since the mid 50‘s. It preceded To Kill a Mockingbird, and was rejected. There is controversy surrounding it, as the beloved character of Atticus Finch is portrayed as racist. It has been said that the book is not worthy, that it’s publication is based purely on economics. Whatever. Despite the fact that Lee had had only one work published, it was of monumental significance and anything else by her should be welcomed. If it is bad or mediocre, it will fade. I doubt it will detract from the first. If it is good, it will add to her already impressive legacy.

So an agreement with Iran has been reached on its nuclear ambitions? Does anyone believe the world's foremost sponsor of terror is not going to secretly continue to develop the bomb? Of course, as naive as it seems, we must hope the President is right and most everyone else is wrong.

The floating book shop was rained out today. My thanks to the Asian woman who helped me get the lone functioning plastic recycling machine up and running after its containers were full and it shut down.

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/