The Writer's Life 6/30 - Serial/Cereal Killers

Since the media and the arts are dominated by leftists, a liberal bias is to be expected in programming, even fiction. Last night's episode of American Gothic contained two potshots at Republicans. The first had a character asking who one would expect to steal something from the White House, Kennedy or Nixon. There was no mention of the Clintons, who actually did steal things from the WH. In the second instance, a character likened checking people at the door of a wake to Republican efforts to suppress voter participation by requiring ID. I've been asked for identification more than once at my local polling station, and I was only mildly annoyed. I won't boycott AG, which I find intriguing. Law & Order took the same potshots throughout its long run and I still loved it, as it did not always adhere to liberal bias in story line. AG included a boundary-pushing scene when a divorced couple, struggling with drug abuse, had sex to ward off the demon -- in the bathroom of the venue where the male's father's funeral service was taking place. In another instance, two females seemed about to go into the now obligatory same sex liplock. Despite this nonsense, I'm interested in the main plot: was the deceased a serial killer? Through two episodes, it certainly seems that way, but I expect several twists, which are the hallmarks of mysteries.

By a vote of 68-30, Congress has approved another bailout, this time of Puerto Rico, where 3.6 million inhabitants have amassed a debt in excess of $70 billion. Too bad it doesn't include a complete severing of ties. I'm sure, if a vote similar to the Brexit were taken, the majority of the island's inhabitants would opt to stay and continue the gravy train.

I'll be surprised if the following idea flies. Then again, I've been wrong a million times in my life, many of those instances in financial matters. From Yahoo News: Kellogg is opening its first cereal cafe -- in Times Square. The price per bowl will be between $6.50 and $7.50 and can be eaten in or taken out, and there are plans to launch a delivery service later in the year. The idea is part of a push to reinvigorate U.S. cereal sales, which have declined as consumers choose healthier foods over sugary and processed products. The concept already has been tried in London, where the Cereal Killer Cafe has two branches. The NYC shop will provide new gourmet recipes. Staff members dressed in t-shirts with Kellogg's catch phrases greet customers behind a colorful counter laden with myriad toppings like lime zest, thyme and malted milk powder. Customers receive a buzzer that notifies when an order is complete. When it goes off, they pick up the order, packaged in a brown paper bag showered with Kellogg's logo, from a red locker. Each bowl comes with a 12-ounce container of milk -- on the side.

Kudos to basketball player Brandon Jennings, who has opted to play professionally in Italy rather than go through the charade of being a student-athlete at the University of Arizona.

The Cleveland Indians have a 12-game winning streak. They feature a pitching rotation solid from one through five. If they manage to rent a couple of good hitters for the stretch run, they, like the Cavs, will have a good shot at breaking a championship drought. The last time the Tribe won the World Series was 1948.

Business at the floating book shop is as bad as it gets right now. After only one sale yesterday, none today. My thanks to Marie, who donated a pictorial on art and two huge cookbooks.
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/29 - Gifts

There's a new crusader in the fight against ticket-happy government hacks. Londoner Joshua Browder, 19, a student at Stanford here in the USA, has created a free online robot-lawyer that fills out legal forms. The idea came to him when he received a bunch of violations in his home town. At first he helped just family and friends. The site is now available in London and NYC. Launched just last month in the Big Apple, it has a 41% success rate. It has saved motorists three million bucks so far. I expect two things to eventually come of this: a fee, which would be justifiable as long as it's reasonable, and an effort by bureaucrats to have it banned. Hail Joshua! Here's the url: http://www.donotpay.co.uk/signup.php

Aside from the item above, I was unable to find anything fresh today, so here's the Top 10 Most Ridiculously Overpriced Gifts, culled from smashinglists.com, pared and edited by yours truly:
10. Clive Christian No 1 for Women, 50ml -- For something billed as “the world’s most expensive perfume” it’s disappointing that it's almost affordable -- $750. Attention shoppers: there’s currently a bottle on ebay listed at $9.99.
9. Gina Courts shoes, available at Selfridges (London) for just $2100. They are gold, tastefully decorated from wedge-heel to peep-toe in hundreds of Swarovski crystals in red, green and gold.

8. Globe Clutch -- And it’s on to Harrods for this bling-y item, $6,750 for the high-end luxury handbag.
7. Cristal Louis Roederer Champagne Jeroboam 2012 -- It comes wrapped in ribbon that's been dipped in 24-carat gold, and there were only 400 bottles made. It’s said to have an intense taste with “hints of white flowers, citrus and fruits, followed by warm notes of toast and wood.” Cost? $26, 000.
6. Ralph Lauren Alligator Ricky Bag -- Back to Harrods for another tasteful bag, this one in unambiguous gold priced at a hefty $28,000. It's named after Ralph Lauren’s wife. According to the product description, it is “extremely practical” thanks to its multiple strap configurations and roomy inside pockets.
5. Millage Flying Tourbillon Watch -- It’s not only high-end retailers that stock hugely overpriced gifts. The next three are from Amazon, this one currently priced at $99,000. It comes in several colors, has a watch made from alligator leather and a seven-year guarantee.
4. Steinhausen Luxury Accessory Case -- So, where do you put your very expensive watch? A very expensive watch box of course! There's room for 20 and is retailing on amazon.com right now for $99,999.00, but go to Steinhausen’s website for a steep discount, priced at $250. It might be a victim of a rogue Amazon pricing algorithm.
3. AudioQuest Speaker Cable -- For our last Amazon item – nothing quite says “I love you” like a speaker cable? And if you want to really spoil the audio-lover in your life, this piece is available on the UK site for $175,000. The reviews say it’s definitely worth the money -- for those with supersonic hearing, maybe.
2. Cobblestone Yellow Diamond Bracelet from Tiffany -- The price isn’t even on the website -- “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” A little digging reveals that it goes for a cool $1.3 million. It has 59 yellow diamonds, and the rest of it is filled in with white diamonds, bringing the total carat count to over 100.
1. Rangyai Island, Thailand -- There’s nothing quite like buying someone a private island. This one is available for $160,000,000. It has “beautiful white sand beaches and lush tropical forests” and comes with its own generator and fresh water supply. It’s even close to Phuket Airport, for jetting in between meetings. Phuket -- why not?

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/28 - Inside-Out

I didn't spot anything fresh in today's new, so here's an excerpt from a novel I plan to self-publish in 2019 -- if I'm still alive and kicking. Inside-Out is a look at how male-female relationships were trending for a large percentage of the population in the 1980's. When I tried to get publishers and agents interested in it, I used the tag line: "Can a novel be both explicit and meaningful?" By the time I transferred it to a PC file, I was past 50 and my views on the art of sexuality in literature had changed significantly. There is still a lot of sex in the novel, but it's not nearly as explicit. The dialogue is frank, although profanity is largely absent. The over the top cursing in American films turned me off so much that I decided to go the other way in my work, most of the time simply leaving cusses out.

   On a Friday in mid September Karen picked him up after school and sped home, where they immediately made love.
   "What's the hurry?" said Vinnie, chuckling as they parted.
   "I gotta get to my parents before sundown," she said, rising; "for the holiday."
   "What holiday -- Saint Deviate's Day?"
   "Rosh Hashanah."
   He sprang to a sitting position, eyes fixed on her. She looked at him.
   "You mean you didn't know?"
   "I thought you were German," he said softly, stunned; "like Henry Miller."
   She threw her hands up. "Figures -- another pervert. There're two other Millers on the staff and they're both Jews. You know them."
   "What's that have to do with you? Why didn't you tell me?"
   "I assumed you knew."
   "How would I? You never mentioned it. And there isn't one thing in this apartment that'd tell me."
   "There aren't any crucifixes, either."
   "I'd assumed you'd forsaken religion. You talk as if you have. And you certainly don't look or act Jewish."
   "How's a Jew supposed to look or act?"
   Recalling Shylock, he hung his head. "Sorry. It's the surprise. It doesn't make any difference."
   "Then why're you so upset?"
   "Because I didn't know. Because I'm ready to move in with you and I didn't know. Do you know how stupid that makes me feel? Maybe I am deluded."
   "You are."
   "I'm as deluded as you are deceitful."
   She winced. "That's the truest thing you've ever said about us, only I have to be deceitful because you insist on being deluded. You can't accept anything but what you believe."
   He was surprised that he'd fallen so deeply in love with a Jew. He'd always thought there was something different about Jewish girls that would prevent him from loving one. He suspected that it had been the major factor in his lack of feeling for Evelyn. He wondered if he were a bigot at heart. Would he have loved Karen had he known of her background from the start? He wasn't sure, although he wasn't able to imagine not loving her. The thought that she might be Jewish had never even crossed his mind. He was filled with shame.
   "My only defense is that I never asked you about your heritage at all, maybe because it never mattered, but I can't say for sure."
   She sat at the edge of the love seat, bent at the waist as if her stomach ached. "The main reason I kept it to myself is that it makes gentiles so weird. They immediately assume they know everything about you."
   "You mean it's not fashionable to be Jewish?"
   "It never was and never will be."
   His eyes contracted in pain. "But why'd you hide it from me? Do you have so little confidence in me? After all we've shared?"
   She shrugged. "Maybe I was afraid of how disappointed I'd be if you turned out to be a bigot."
   "Are you disappointed?"
   She did not reply, which indicated to him that she was.
   "I'm not a bigot, Kary, at least no more than's humanly possible. It doesn't matter any more. You could be a devil worshiper or serial killer, for all I care. The only thing that bugs me is that I'll now never know if it would've made a difference. It would've been a good test. Everybody needs to be tested like that once in a while."
   He lay back on the floor, pillow over his face.
   "A Judotz!" he suddenly cried, firing the pillow at her.
   "You see!" she sobbed. "You're just like everybody else. All this time and you still can't accept it."
   "You still compare me to other guys? What do I have to do to prove myself to you? In all the time I've known you, have you ever heard me make an antisemitic remark?"
   "You never say anything bad about anybody but me."
   "But none of that has anything to do with your heritage. Are you ashamed of it? Nobody has a choice about it. You have to ignore any idiot who thinks you're less than he is, unless he puts a hand on you. Then you hit back hard. Christ, are you ashamed of everything about yourself but your looks?"
   She curled about the pillow as if now ashamed of her exterior as well. He rose and pulled the pillow away.
   "Don't hide."
   "Why not when even a sweet guy like you gets bent out of shape about Jews? I didn't understand what you said, but I know it was bad."
   He sat beside her and kissed her brow. "Sorry. I just hate it when you're deceitful."
   "You'd leave me if I wasn't, and I'm not ready to let you go yet."
   She wept at his shoulder, then dozed.
   "Wake up," he whispered, rising. "You're gonna be late."
   "Stay," she said, grasping his arm, gaze suppliant. "I'll be back by eleven. I give my parents three nights year, the next two and Yom Kippur. It means so much to them."
   "I'd never keep you from your family or your faith."
   She averted her gaze, troubled. "It's not faith on my part. It's deceit. In a way, I deceive my pop like I deceive you. Deep down, he knows what I am. Soon you'll know it too."
   She exited the bathroom in a modest dress and tossed him a set of keys. "I had these made, in case you want to go out for a while."
   Upon her return, she found him stretched on the floor, watching television.
   "I'm stuffed," she said, laying beside him.
   "I thought you were supposed to fast."
   "That's Yom Kippur, the day of atonement."
   "Are you allowed to have sex that day?"
   "I was always afraid to ask."
   "You want your father to think you're still a virgin?"
   She did not laugh. "I always stay there overnight that day."
   "I'll probably do the same with my mother on Christmas Eve."
   He was tempted to ask questions about Judaism, but he'd had religion drummed into him so deeply as a child that he'd developed an aversion to it. He believed it'd contributed greatly to his negative self image, and he wanted no more of it.
   "When I was a kid I was petrified whenever I passed a synagogue. I thought I'd go to hell if I even looked at one."
   "Why?"
   "I guess I took everything I was taught too literally. I believed all non-Catholics'd go to hell. I used to think Jews were atheists, I guess because they didn't believe in Jesus. Then one day the kid next door, Clifford Brown, told me: 'We believe in God. It's Jesus we don't believe in,' and I felt so stupid because I obviously didn't know what I was talking about. And it made me wonder, if Jews believed in God, after all, why did everybody hate them?"
    "Because people are basically bad, Jews included."
   "I'd say 'troubled' or 'afraid' is more like it."
   "'Crazy' is better."
   "Sometimes. How d'you explain calling the one you love a Judotz?"
   She jerked. "Only you'd bring up something like that to prove a point."
   "We say a lot of stupid things when we're angry."
   "Face it, that's when we're the most honest."
   "Honest in that moment, maybe, but it's not representative of who we really are."
   "Says you."
My thanks to the kind folks who bought books today, and to the woman who donated two bags full, a blend of fiction and non.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/27 - Questioning

Molly Giles has won numerous awards for her short stories, many of which have appeared in respected anthologies and literary magazines. She has six books in print, five of them story collections. One, Rough Translations, was nominated for a Pulitzer and won the Flannery O'Connor Award for short fiction. I just finished her only novel, Iron Shoes, which was published in 2001. Although well-written, an easy read at only 239 pages, it never captured me. The story follows a 40-year-old female struggling with alcohol abuse, low self esteem, a distant husband and an odd relationship with her self-absorbed parents. The characters are well-drawn, realistic. I cannot pinpoint my lack of enthusiasm other than to say the book comes off as just another tale of family dysfunction, which everyone suffers to varying degrees. It's part of many great novels and films, a significant part of my own work. None of the characters is particularly likable, although that shouldn't matter in regards to evaluating a book's worth. So passive was I in reading Iron Shoes that I forgot to bookmark the passage that explained the title. Maybe it's just me. After all, Giles has quite a reputation as a teacher of creative writing. Amy Tan was one of her students. On a scale of five, I rate Iron Shoes 2.5. For an alternative view, check out her customers' reviews at Amazon, where 12 users forge to a consensus of 4.3: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Shoes-Novel-Molly-Giles/product-reviews/0684859920/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful 

A New York Post editorial reports that more than 100 colleges have set up a Bias Response Team. Recently, a professor at Northern Colorado University was fingered by a student and received a visit and reprimand from the BRT. His crimes? He assigned an article on rising campus sensitivity and, on another occasion, asked students to consider opposing views on global warming and the transgender issue. Hardcore criminal is what he is.

Rapper 50 Cents was busted after a show on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. His crime? Profanity. What did authorities expect? No doubt they'll enjoy the taxes the event generated and any fines that are levied..

Kudos to the Iraqi army for retaking Fallujah, which fell to ISIS more than two years ago. Let's hope it will be able to hold that hellish city and master its next objective, Mosul. A lot of American blood and treasure was sacrificed to stabilize the country. The least the locals could do is fight to reacquire that stability. Will they surprise the world by doing just that? Stay tuned.

This morning talk radio host Mark Simone raised two issues that show the uphill fight Donald Trump will have in his presidential bid. A new NBC poll has Hillary leading by 12%. Only 25% of those polled were Republicans. Shouldn't the breakdown be split evenly among Democrats, Republicans and Independents? Also, on last night's debut of the new Match Game, hosted by Alec Baldwin, the panel was asked several questions regarding Trump, none on Hillary. One was a fill-in-the-blank to which all six panelists, one of whom was Rosie O'Donnell, replied "liar." The audience was wild with approval. The show was shot on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Simone also pointed out on recent shows that Gary Byrne, author of  Crisis of Character: A White House Secret Service Officer Discloses His Firsthand Experience with Hillary, Bill, and How They Operate, is being shunned by the major networks.

My thanks to the Asian gentleman who purchased four books, among them Richard Wright's Native Son, and John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/26 - Hits & Misses

In today's NY Post Michael Riedel devotes an article to who may have been the model for James Bond. Dusko Popov, a Yugoslavian, was a double agent during WWII. According to a new book, Into the Lion's Mouth by Larry Loftus, Ian Fleming, 007's creator and a British Naval Intelligence officer, met the spy at -- get this -- a Baccarat table! The opening scene of Casino Royale is said to have come from what went down there when Dubov put 50 grand on the table (the agency's money), challenging a rich mogul, who was unable to match it and stormed away humiliated. Dubov was a heavy smoker and womanizer. There's no mention of whether he preferred his martini shaken rather than stirred.

Jenny Powers has an interesting piece on a new phenomenon: "Digital Nomads," homeless New Yorker's who use the web to survive. They use apps in what she describes as "virtual panhandling." They find shelter by texting friends or using sites such as AirNB. Some ask for money, which is sent to a site like Venmo, a digital wallet similar to Paypal. People leery of giving cash to friends on the skids buy food and have it sent to them. Life never ceases to evolve or fascinate.

Last night the Chicago White Sox hit seven home runs, all solo shots -- and still lost, 10-8, to the Toronto Blue Jays -- just another one of the wacky things that happen in a sport where 30 teams play 162 games each.

I had no luck selling books on the street today in Park Slope. I sense a long lull is underway. Although the selection is varied, the shop currently lacks pictorials, children's fare and books in Russian, which have been its best sellers. And I have only one novel by an author at the top of the charts, Danielle Steel's Precious Gifts. As Billy Pilgrim says several times in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five: "So it goes."

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

 

The Writer's Life 6/25 - Collaborators

Ask film buffs to name the greatest living directors and two names would probably dominate discussion: Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. Many would cite Woody Allen, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, the Coen brothers. Kathryn Bigelow and others. I know this will sound pretentious, but China's Zhang Yimou is as talented as any of them. His action trilogy Hero (1992), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and The Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) are all wonderfully staged, thrillingly executed and beautifully shot. Raise the Red Lantern (1991) is a powerful, fascinating drama on the intrigue among concubines. It starred the great Gong Li, pictured above and below, one of eight collaborations between star and director. Last night I watched Coming Home (2014), courtesy of Netflix. Li portrays a middle age woman whose husband, a professor, has been imprisoned for 20 years. Her daughter was three at the time of the arrest. A ballerina, she is a proud Maoist. When the husband returns, "rehabilitated," his wife is suffering blocked memory. She mistakes him for a brutal interrogator. He tries to break through the mental block, first with a photo, then music and finally the letters he wrote her while in prison. It is gut-wrenching. The final scene in the snow at a train station, sans dialogue, is as good as cinema gets. Li's excellence is matched by Zhang Huiwen as the daughter, only her second film; and Daomin Chen as her father. Although the narrative does not completely avoid politics, it concentrates mostly on the humanity of the characters. There are surprises along the way, secrets revealed. Anyone who prefers fast-paced fare should pass. The film is for lovers of drama. The running time is a perfect 1:45. 2600+ users at IMDb have rated Coming Home, forging to a consensus of 7.3 of ten, way too low. On a scale of five, I rate it 4.5. I just looked at a list of the top 50 living directors. Zimou is not on it. I'd bet that in 50 years his name will be near the top. Here are a couple of quotes attributed to him: "The Cultural Revolution was a very special period of Chinese history, unique in the world. It was part of my youth. It happened between when I was 16 and when I was 26. During those 10 years, I witnessed so many terrible and tragic things. For many years, I have wanted to make movies about that period - to discuss the suffering and to talk about fate and human relationships in a world which people couldn't control and which was very hostile. I would like to make not just one but many movies, both autobiographical and drawing on other people's stories. I'll just have to wait." "Many things, feelings especially, are common to all human beings. As long as the film appeals to universal human feelings, all audiences will enjoy it." Here's how Li, now 50, appeared in the film:

My thanks to the young woman who bought novels by Stephen King and John Grisham, and author Bill Brown (Words and Guitar, A History of Lou Reed's Music), who purchased Michael Crichton's The Terminal Man. The floating book shop hosted a heated political discussion between Conspiracy Guy and B.S. Bob. If either had absolute power, the carnage would likely be broad.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/24 - Consequences

The Brexit vote was not as close as expected. Those in favor carried the day by a margin of 52% to 48%. The UK can return to the semi-socialist state it was prior to its entry into the European Union. What will be the consequences? The most immediate is the hit financial markets are taking, which I'd guess is temporary. Other nations may choose to leave the EU. Italy, Spain and Greece will have less countries to mooch off. Those folks with a misplaced sense of entitlement may take to the streets, demanding what they believe is owed them by the simple fact of their existence. I hope the move leads to a fiscal sanity that rubs off on many countries. As always the question is -- will the pluses outweigh the minuses? Kudos to Prime Minister David Cameron, who opposed the exit, for stepping down. He believes the UK would be safer in the union. I realize I'm an ocean away, but I don't see how that would be so and, apparently, a significant portion of the population agrees. Voting in the USA has frequently mirrored that of England. For example, Ronald Reagan became president after Margaret Thatcher became PM. All who oppose Hillary want that indicator to remain true - (sigh).

A headline at Yahoo Sports caught my eye. NFL players are looking into the merits of marijuana as a pain killer. I believe it's a ruse so that players can indulge without fear of suspension, just as I believe marijuana advocates cite the medical benefits in the drive for legalization, knowing that simply saying "I like the high" would turn many voters off. I'm not surprised pro athletes would use this ploy. The full legalization of pot is coming. The governing bodies of sports will probably have to eliminate it from the list of banned substances. What, if any, will the consequences be? So far, the liberalization of marijuana possession and use seems benign. And if it's bringing in substantial taxes, it may be a significant plus. Curiously, there hasn't been much on this from pundits.

Ira prefers books on Hollywood and UFO's. As soon as I spotted his approach today, I picked up the large, beautiful Hollywood pictorial I'd displayed prominently, making sure he had first dibs. I was in the middle of a conversation with Angelo, who last worked for Lehman Brothers, where I imagine he received a generous buyout before it went belly up. He's now a stay-at-home dad while his wife works as a nurse. Anyway, Ira gave us his tale of woe. He was a successful tailor and, 16 years ago, bought the apartment in which he and his wife live. He was 50. After 37 years in the business, he lost his job, failed to find another in that dwindling business ravaged by new economic forces, and had to take Social Security at 62. He's been struggling to keep up with mortgage payments ever since. I felt a little guilty about accepting money from him. Angelo and he spoke for at least 15 minutes about their experiences and shook hands upon parting. In the meantime, Andu stopped by and said doctors had finally pinpointed what was ailing him, making him act out irrationally on occasion -- a fungus. He's treating it through diet, as his health insurance doesn't cover more expensive methods. He asked about my books, and wound up buying Rising Star, saying Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll were right up his alley. Was his ailment the consequence of lifestyle? I didn't ask. Again I felt guilty accepting money, although I let him choose three books as a thank you. As he was walking away, he spotted another on proper diet, which I let him have at no charge. It was the least I could do. My thanks also to the lady who bought the Kaplan SAT prep tome for her daughter.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

 

The Writer's life 6/23 - Miracle

Some stories simply blow one away. Bentley Yoder, seven months old, was born with a frightening condition. His brain was growing outside his skull. Doctors did not expect him to live and suggested his mom abort. She didn't and everyone was astounded when he didn't pass away. Here's a picture of him from before he underwent an operation:

Four days ago surgeons using 3-D imaging managed to drain fluid from his skull, cut it and fit his brain inside. His prospects are good. Here's a picture of Bentley taken yesterday:

I have a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. Live long and prosper, kid.

I enjoyed the premiere of American Gothic, which aired last night at ten on CBS. Although it is yet another story about a serial killer, it has an intriguing spin: the murderer is probably a member of a large family. Who is it, and does anyone else in the family know who it is? I recognized only two actors in the cast: screen vet Virginia Madsen, now old enough to play a matriarch; and Jamey Sheridan, one of the Captains on Law & Order Criminal Intent, here as the successful father, who may have been killed off at the end of the episode. I will be surprised if he doesn't appear at least in flashbacks. I'm hoping the show will be a 13-episode arc that will come to a satisfying conclusion. Knowing what CBS has done with previous summer fare, Under the Dome, Zoo, it will drag the story out -- if the ratings are high.

Today Brits will vote on whether to stay in the European Union. The referendum has been dubbed Brexit. As someone who abhors the socialism the EU represents, I hope Brits opt for independence. As is the case here in the good ol' USA, the UK seems deeply divided. Polls have the result as too close to call. I've heard several pundits say the polls there are frequently wrong. Today Occupy Jack presented a variation on the theme. He is going to attend a speech by his hero, Bernie Sanders, and will be carrying a sign reading: Bern-Stay or Bern-Go? OJ was in peak form, lecturing for about 20 minutes straight, solving the world's problems.

Kudos to the NHL for being the first pro sports league to open a franchise in Las Vegas. I will be surprised if it is not successful. It should be able to draw both a solid local fan base and tourists. Then again, maybe visitors to Sin City are too preoccupied with gambling, boozing and hookers to attend a sports event. Other leagues will be watching closely.

The Knicks' acquisition of the injury-plagued Derrick Rose, only 27,  is a sensible gamble. They traded three decent players to acquire him. If he stays healthy, it will be a plus. If he regains his MVP form, it will be a steal If he fails and is not re-signed, the team will have loads of money toward the salary cap with which to wheel and deal.

My thanks to the kind folks who bought and donated books today. Among a handful a woman gave me was a large pictorial on Hollywood, Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable in living color on the cover.
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/22 - More

Western societies continue to become more liberal sexually, as the controversy over bathrooms attests. In an op-ed piece in today's NY Post, Naomi Scaeffer Riley points out instances where the liberalization has failed. For instance: "A 1996 paper co-authored by Nobel Laureate George Akerlof and current Fed chair Janet Yellen suggests that contraception makes sex cheaper and leads to more sex — and thus to more non-marital childbearing. The two attributed the rise in out-of-wedlock births in the 1970's to laws that permitted unmarried couples access to contraception and abortion. They wrote: 'Although many observers expected liberalized abortion and contraception to lead to fewer out-of-wedlock births, the opposite happened — because of the erosion in the custom of shotgun marriages.” As a result of the widespread availability of abortion and contraception, “sexual activity without commitment was increasingly expected in premarital relationships.'... The widespread availability of contraception in high schools has had largely the same effect. As Jonathan Zimmerman noted in his 2015 work, Too Hot to Handle: A Global History of Sex Education, there’s 'scant evidence' that sex education 'affects teen pregnancy or venereal disease rates.'" Although I commend Riley for taking on liberal orthodoxy, I believe the tide is irreversible. This is the society that has been created, and everyone must adjust, whether it be those on the side of teen celibacy or those advocating teen sex. Come to think of it, that's the way it's always been, although the numbers, pro and con, appear to have completely reversed. To quote John Updike from his novel Couples: "Sex is like money; only too much is enough."

In an interesting though biased article, Natalie Musumeci notes that two billion dollars more was spent on prescription drugs in 2015 than 2014. She cites corporate profiteers as the villains, and laments that many users have either forgone medication or cut back on other necessities. I would cite government's interference in the health system as the main driver of increased costs. And if the drug companies are indeed gouging, why isn't government taking legal action? It takes eight billion dollars to bring a single successful drug to market. And the patents of pharmaceutical companies eventually expire, allowing cheaper generic brands to become available. Those are other reasons why drug costs are high. Store brand Ibuprofen, which I use, is half as expensive as name brands, penalizing the fine folks who first manufactured it. Everyone wants to live long and in good health. Pharmaceuticals have helped make disease manageable and aging less severe. Life expectancy in the USA is 80, yet people always want more. Greed, the sense of entitlement, manifest themselves in various ways.

Sales continue to be sparse at the floating book shop, so it was nice to find a royalty from Amazon on my bank statement for the Kindle sale of Billionths of a Lifetime. Unfortunately, I just read in the KDP newsletter than one woman's sales are in the millions, which prompts the question: What am I doing wrong? Of course, she is probably just writing books most readers prefer. Kudos. Like everyone else, I want more.
My thanks to the lady who purchased a photo album today.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/21 - Friends & Wisdom

I'm really enjoying Houdini & Doyle, which airs at nine PM Mondays on Fox. Last night's episode featured Bram Stoker, threatened by readers who believed his fiction promoted satanism. Doyle and Stoker were actually friends in real life. Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island) was a classmate of Doyle's at the University of Edinburgh. JM Barrie (Peter Pan) was a teammate on a cricket team. I wonder if those two will appear in future episodes. Doyle was an early motorist and even entered a competition, partnering with his second wife, that pitted British cars against German cars. He was also an avid skier. He died at 71 in 1930, collapsing in his garden, clutching his heart with one hand and holding a flower in the other. His last words were to his wife: “You are wonderful.” Following his death, a seance was conducted at the Royal Albert Hall. Thousands attended, including his wife and children. A row of chairs were arranged on the stage for the family, with one left empty for Sir Arthur. Even though he did not appear, many in the audience claimed they felt his presence among them. This coincides with the portrait of him on the show, where he is open to the supernatural, while Houdini is a skeptic. Bram Stoker died in 1912 at 64 after a series of strokes which some attributed to tertiary syphilis, which was mentioned in the episode. (Facts gleaned from Wiki and an article by Rachel Ward {not the Aussie actress} posted at telegraph.co.uk.) Here's a pic of Sherlock Holmes' inventor:

Mitch Daniels, the former governor of Indiana, is now president of Purdue University. Here are highlights, which George Will detailed in a recent op-ed piece, of the address he gave at the school's graduation ceremony honoring the class of 2016: “As employers have come to learn, many diplomas tell little or nothing about the holder’s readiness for work or for life.”...  “I hope you will tune out anyone who, from this day on, tries to tell you that your achievements are not your own. I’m not saying that luck never plays a part; of course it can.” But unless it is tragically bad luck, “it almost never decides a life’s outcome.” Although you cannot eliminate luck from life’s equation, “you can tilt the odds in your favor” with common-sense behavior — making healthy choices, getting and staying married and, especially, working hard. Daniels quoted Thomas Edison: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” And movie pioneer Samuel Goldwyn: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” And Frederick Douglass: “We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is work.” Daniels said that “even more absurd” than the idea that life is a lottery is the idea that “most of us are victims of some kind, and therefore in desperate need of others to protect us against a world of predators and against our own gullibility.” Will concluded the piece by lamenting that Daniels isn't running for president.

It looked like a day of zero return for the floating book shop until the last 15 minutes of operation. My thanks to the young man who bought the four works of non-fiction in Russian, and to Matt, who purchased Killing, which he plans to begin reading tomorrow on the bus to Philly, where he has several business interests. My thanks also to Herbie, who donated a Danielle Steel romance in hardcover.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/20 - Money to Burn

All right, fashionistas, pony up. The hottest pants going right now are Fear of God Jeans, priced at $895. Here's what you get:

How would they look on one of those jokers who wears his pants halfway down his butt?

Speaking of big bucks, someone paid Stub Hub $116,000 for two tickets to last night's game seven of the NBA finals in Oakland. God bless America.

When Golden State won game four to take a 3-1 series lead, know-it-alls in the press immediately produced articles comparing them to the greatest teams of all-time. Sometimes it's as if they've never seen a game. They often demonstrate a complete lack of the understanding of sport. The Warriors must have read the clippings, as they seemed completely full of themselves. The Cavaliers ignored them and have given Cleveland its first championship since 1965 when the Browns embarrassed the Colts, favored by seven on the road, for the NFL title, 27-0. Kudos.

The rules of golf are often maddening. Yesterday the gutless officials at the final round of the U.S. Open made fools of themselves by waiting until after the event was completed to assess Dustin Johnson a one-shot penalty. His ball moved a fraction of an inch as he was addressing his putt on the fifth hole. It did not appear he did anything to cause the movement, but that's irrelevant. It was his bad luck and, given the finicky rules of the game as presently constituted, he should have been penalized, even though he gained no advantage. By not making an immediate decision, the officials might have compromised the outcome had not Johnson's excellence saved them further embarrassment. DJ, 31, finally conquered the putting bugaboo that plagued him in the past. Not only did he win a coveted major, he pocketed $1.8 million in the process. And now that he has the proverbial monkey off his back, it would not be surprising to see him add other major titles to his resume.

The floating book shop had only one sale today, but the session was still worthwhile. My thanks to the woman who purchased Kate Chopin's The Awakening, one of the first feminist novels, and to the woman who donated a handful of books. Among them was a 944 page novel, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It's said to be autobiographical, about a man who escapes an Australian prisoner only two years into a 19-year sentence and who becomes involved in the Bombay underworld. Later, a woman in her 60's approached and asked about my books. Elena Frank has self-published her own book to Kindle: How To Finally Eliminate Toenail Fungus Easily and Effectively. It's only seven pages and she claims to have sold hundreds, chiefly in Japan. Its price is $2.99. Five of my books, those I control, the shortest of which is 248 pages, list at a buck, and I doubt a hundred have sold between them. Well done, madam. At no cost to herself, she raked in some cash.
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/19 - Booked

Today's NY Post devotes several lengthy articles to works of non-fiction. Here are thoughts on each: It's the 100th anniversary of Nathan's Famous, the Coney Island establishment originally started as a tiny hot dog stand by Mr. Handwerker and his wife Ida, Polish immigrants, that is near and dear to many New Yorker's. His grandson, William, has published a history of the franchise: Nathan's Famous: The First 100 Years of America's Favorite Frankfurter Company. Not to be outdone, his cousin has also done a book: Famous Nathan: A Family Saga of Coney Island, the American Dream, and the Search for the Perfect Hot Dog by Mr. Lloyd Handwerker and Gil Reavill. Although the dogs are great, I prefer the jumbo fries, which I purchased so many times as a kid on the way home from the beach. According to Wiki, there are currently 1400 shops worldwide... Michael Shelden offers a new take on an American literary giant: Melville in Love: The Secret Life of Herman Melville and the Muse of Moby-Dick. He is the first to contend that Melville's obsessive love for a married woman, not his wife, was the inspiration for Moby Dick, which critics loathed, and for the subsequent Pierre, which Shelden describes as a "...book so strange and inaccessible it became a sort of career suicide note." I read it about 40 years ago and don't remember a thing about it... RFK Jr. exonerates his cousin in: Framed: Why Michael Skakel Spent Over a Decade in Prison For a Murder He Didn't Commit. The mother of Martha Moxley, the victim, isn't thrilled. I read little more than the headlines about the case. If Skakel were innocent, wouldn't a family with almost unlimited resources have been able to find lawyers to create reasonable doubt, which seems to occur quite frequently in trials involving the rich? Skakel was freed after eleven years and has yet to be retried. It seems his lawyers are trying to pin the murder on his brother, Tommy, or to create reasonable doubt... And what would a month be without another book on a Clinton scandal? Crisis of Character: A White House Secret Service Officer Discloses His Firsthand Experience with Hillary, Bill, and How They Operate by Gary J. Byrne promises more dirt on who may be the biggest slimeballs in the history of politics. Sadly, it will not dissuade her supporters. And most of the press will continue to give them a free pass to the White House.

I just took a peek at the U.S. Open leader board. A virtual unknown, Irishman Shane Lowery, is one shots ahead of Dustin Johnson and three ahead of Sergio Garcia, both perennial bridesmaids always done in by inadequate putting. I have a hunch others will fall below Johnson, allowing him to win his first major, although I wouldn't make book on it. Only a handful of players are under par at the bedeviling Oakmont Country outside of Pittsburgh. I look forward to the back nine drama.

For the second consecutive Sunday my plan to set up shop on 7th Avenue in front of John Jay H.S. in Park Slope were foiled. Last week it was brutal wind. Today a street fair was being was underway. I went to 9th just below 5th Avenue. My thanks to the couple who bought Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw by Mark Bowden. He was the infamous Escobar, head of the Colombian Medellin drug cartel, tracked and gunned down by the national police, although his brothers insist the fatal shot to the ear was administered by Escobar himself.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/18 - Room

Films about abduction usually end with the rescue. Room (2015) doesn't let viewers off the hook so easily. I caught up to it last night courtesy of Netflix. The first half is devoted to the horror a young woman, taken in her teens, has been suffering for eight years, living in a shed. Her salvation is the child she has borne with the indifferent rapist. He has turned five. She devises a scheme that sets them free. The second half of the movie concerns adjustment to the real world, and it's not pretty. Brie Larson won an Oscar for her performance. She captures the psychological components of the character brilliantly. I was completely unfamiliar with her previous work and was amused to find she got her start doing sketches on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Also a singer, she has piled up a total of 53 credits. The creep is ably played by screen veteran Sean Bridges (63 credits). Joan Allen brings her considerable talents to the role of grandma. The great William H. Macy appears briefly as the grandpa, now living in another city after divorce. In the film's most jarring scene, he is unable to look at his grandson. What makes it powerful is that it is an entirely plausible reaction, no matter how wrong. Of course, fare like this cannot be successful without an appealing child at its center, and Jason Tremblay tugs at the heart strings. Only 10, he already has 16 screen credits. Lenny Abrahamson, an Irishman, received a nomination for Best Director, as did screenwriter Emma Donoghue, who adapted from her own novel. Room was also nominated for Best Picture. 140,000+ users at IMDb have rated it, forging to a consensus of 8.3 of ten. I can't argue with that. It is rare that so serious and downbeat a film is successful at the box office, but it brought in $14+ million on a budget of six million. Anyone who prefers typical Hollywood slam-bang fare should pass. This film smacks of authenticity, of the nightmare such a situation must be even when it turns out as well as one dare hope. Kudos to cast and crew.

Yesterday I neglected to mention that Mark, a Vietnam vet/retired postal worker, recently received a speeding ticket. He was on his way home from his volunteer Little League work when he committed the high crime of going 23 mph in a school zone. The limit is 20. He was caught by one of those income-generating Big Brother type cameras.

I'm off to south Jersey for my great niece/godchild's high school graduation party.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/17 - Narcissists & Neighboors

In an op-ed piece in today's NY Post, Roger L. Simon offers a new term -- moral narcissism, which he describes as: "What you say you believe or claim you believe — not how you actually behave — defines who you are and makes you 'virtuous' in your own eyes and the eyes of others. Almost always, this is without regard to the consequences of those beliefs, because actual real-world results are immaterial and often ignored. If you have the right opinions and say the right things, people will remember your pronouncements, not your actions or what happened because of them." He cites examples of it in the behavior of the left, particularly Bernie Sanders and Hillary. I would add that their thinking seems to be "We are on the side of the angels; we are right; therefore anything we do is just." Simon maintains that Donald Trump is the least morally narcissistic politician in the field, hence the vitriol directed at him from both sides. He has a new book, available at Amazon: I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic, If It Hasn't Already.

In 2015 NYC paid out $586 million to settle lawsuits. In 2014 it was $561 million. The madness not only continues, it expands.

I speak to Mark just about each time I set up shop at my regular book nook. A Vietnam vet/retired postal worker battling diabetes, he's a daily recipient of Jewish Meals on Wheels. Today the delivery lady double-parked her truck and brought food to a building. Mark walked over so she wouldn't have to make another stop. A traffic agent was writing a ticket.What a creep! The woman must have been gone no more than ten minutes -- and she's doing the community a service! It's not as if the truck were there for a long time. It's the sort of behavior that makes me so cynical about government and its insatiable need for funds (see above).

I took BP medicine for the first time this morning. I haven't felt any dizziness and I don't have a headache. I was conscious of possible effects during my morning walk and don't know if I was imagining slight light-headedness due to wariness. Amazing how the mind works.

My Hyundai is a 2003 model. The plastic housings that cover the headlights are covered in grime. I assumed it was on the inside, as it doesn't come off during washing. Yesterday a young man who lives on the second floor of the building where I set up the floating book shop gave me a tip on cleaning them. When he's not riding around in his little red sports car, he's on a skateboard. He said something about the oxidation that occurs. That was Greek to me, but he also suggested I use Off, the bug repellent, to clean them. I used it on the golf course. I haven't played in almost three years. Did I have any in the apartment? Sure enough, I did, in the cabinet under the kitchen sink, and it worked well. The white sock I used was black with dirt. I'm interested to know if I will see better while driving at night.

My thanks to the young beauty who bought the two Bridget Jones sagas. Mountain Man, aka Steve, visited for at least an hour, lamenting the state of the union in his own inimitable way.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/16 - The Very Thought of You

Among a recent batch of a books donation was The Very Thought of You, published in 2009, the only book from Rosie Alison, a Brit who has directed TV documentaries and produced films for the big and small screen. The setting is England, 1939. The Nazis have invaded Poland and London is preparing for war. Anticipating bombings, the government and citizens sponsor the relocation of children, taking them out of harm's way. An eight-year-old girl is among many evacuees sent to the estate of an aristocratic family experiencing a brutal run of luck. Her experiences there have a profound lifelong effect. Although the bulk of the narrative spans four years, her entire life is cataloged. The author deftly portrays the human condition through the characters. The themes are separation, loss, loneliness, love, and the inability to escape the past. Although the tone is melancholy, it is not depressing but it is very sad. I got misty at several points. The prose and dialogue are solid, the 306 pages of the large paperback edition a smooth read. The subjects are approached with a good reporter's objectivity. The author is non-judgmental, despite the sins of some of the characters. My only quibble is that I believe the novel could have used another flush, the elimination of extraneous words, to make it even stronger. It was nominated for several literary prizes. Seven years have passed since it surfaced in England. It is a mystery why Alison hasn't followed the auspicious debut with another work. At one point the aristocrat muses: "How can you feel the loss of someone you've never possessed?" The line is so similar to one of my own: "How can you miss someone you've never had?" I may have used it in a short story, but I know it was originally in notes I gathered for a memoir, one I now doubt I'll ever write. I'd rather air personal experiences through fictional characters. Late in the book, when the protagonist is an old woman, she thinks: "Perhaps life was one long story of separation... From people, from places, from the past you can never quite reach even as you lived it." 36 users at Amazon have rated The Very Thought of You, forging to a consensus of 3.6 of five, a tad low in my estimation. Lovers of standards will recognize the title, taken from the Ray Noble classic covered by so many great singers. The aristocrat is a pianist. Kudos, Mrs. Alison.

I just picked up my first prescription drug at Stop n Shop, ten bucks for a count of 30, a lot less than I expected. I'm supposed to take one every morning after breakfast. Drug companies have to protect themselves, so a long list of possible side effects is detailed on a form. That's not very encouraging. I wonder if the pill will eliminate the flushed feeling I often experience. Of course, that could just as likely be attributable to pollen or remnants of the Shingles virus or something else.

My thanks to the woman who bought a Tess Gerritsen thriller. The best part of today's session of the floating book shop was getting the chance to personally congratulate "Thirtsy" Dave Hansen for the quality of his vocals on his band's CD, Western Caravan. As I expected, he's not a Brooklyn boy. He was born in the south and traveled extensively with his family.

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

The Writer's Life 6/15 - Rights & a Caravan

Since I started selling books on the street full time, I've come to respect more than ever those in business for themselves. The floating book shop is not a real business. Its primary purpose is to sell my own books, its secondary is pocket money that keeps me from visiting an ATM more often than I'd like. Since I began collecting Social Security four years ago, I've been able to fund my simple lifestyle without having to tap into my retirement money, which I keep as disaster insurance. My focus is publishing and promoting my books. Little else matters. To get back to the point of all this, I respect those who operate a business, especially those folks whose efforts support a family. Knowing how cranky a session of minimal or zero returns can make me, I can imagine the pressure small business owners experience when things slow down. The creep who murdered and wounded all those people in Orlando purchased his weapon legally. I would hope, were I a gun shop owner, that I would not sell a gun to someone with a Muslim name. I would hope I would say the background check prevented it. If the prospective customer complained, I hope I would tell him to petition the government. I wonder if the man who sold the murder weapon has lost any sleep, if the anguish of the families of the dead haunts him. Although I support the second amendment, I am not comfortable around guns, but I'm glad others are. I've said this before -- if a fanatic ever starts shooting in my presence, I hope there will be an armed citizen nearby to take him out. Here is one of the more interesting posts I've seen on Facebook since the massacre: "Why are we told that we shouldn't blame innocent Muslims for the actions of a few nutcases, whereas we're told we must blame innocent gun owners for the actions of a few nutcases?" This is a difficult issue. The anger of gun rights opponents is understandable, particularly when it comes to the sale of assault weapons. The age-old question remains: would a ban decrease such attacks? I doubt it. An individual can do a lot of damage with a couple of glocks, explosives or fire. The NRA and its supporters believe a ban will begin an unstoppable erosion of gun rights just as fervently as activists believe a ban on partial birth abortions will lead to an erosion of that right. Each group wants a buffer. Americans are fortunate to be living in a society that allows freedom, but that freedom occasionally is problematic, contentious and scary.

I got my report from the doctor this afternoon. All is well except for my BP, 140/94. I was prescribed a mild pill available in generic form. It's my first prescription drug. I'd been taking grape seed extract three times daily for the past ten days. If it helped, what the heck was my BP before it? During the drive to and fro, I listened to a CD a woman gave me the other day. Since her husband is the lead singer of Western Caravan, I was certain she couldn't possibly be objective about it. Whether she is or isn't is irrelevant, I am so impressed, not only by the singing but the musicianship and songwriting. I'd swear I was listening to a broadcast of the Grand Ol' Opry. One song is about Bessie, a cow. Since it was my first listen and I was driving through Brooklyn traffic, I may be wrong in saying that the cow in question is a metaphor for a woman. One couplet blew me away: "...my cousin Jethro, who's on death row." Now that's country! Here's a link to the band's website: http://www.westerncaravan.com/band.html  

My thanks to the gentleman who purchased a book of non-fiction on art forgeries.
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

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

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/