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/