The Writer's Life 7/31 - Interesting Women

Last night MeTV, 33 on Cablevision in NYC, ran Captive Wild Woman (1943) on its Svengoolie program. Running only 61 minutes in glorious black in white, it features a cast of Hollywood stalwarts: John Carradine, Milburn Stone, Evelyn Ankers, Lloyd Corrigan, Paul Fix and Martha Vickers, whose life was cut short by cancer at 46. The real star is an actress I'd never heard of -- Acquanetta, who appeared in only 11 films. Although she was born near Cheyenne, Wyoming, the child of an Arapaho mom and white dad, Universal Pictures billed her as The Venezuelan Volcano. In 1974 she wrote a book of poetry, The Audible Silence, on life, love and Indian jewelry. She married the owner of a car dealership, brought four sons into the world, and lived until the age of 83. Captive Wild Woman was directed by Edward Dmytrk, who would go on to helm one of the most highly regarded noirs, Crossfire (1947) and The Caine Mutiny, as well as more than 50 other movies. He was one of the Hollywood Ten, cited by Senator Joseph McCarthy as a communist. Dymytrk later renounced and denounced communism. As for the plot of CWW, it has Carradine turning Acquanetta from an ape into a beautiful woman. Trouble ensues when she develops violent, jealous feelings toward Ankers, whom she sees in a liplock with Stone. Here's a pic of her besides Carradine, who amassed an amazing 350 credits in a career that spanned 1930-1995:

Two items stood out in today's NY Post: U.S. home ownership rate is the lowest it's been since 1965... A female parolee, 59, was having trouble re-assimilating to civilian life. She went into a bank, handed a teller a note saying she had a gun, walked out with $16,300, and went into the parking lot and handed out cash, even throwing some into the air. She told the arresting officers: "I want to go back to jail." She faces a 20-year sentence.

It was inevitable. Nude photos of Melania Trump have been discovered. Several are featured in today's Post, stars covering what was referred to in Monty Python as "naughty bits." Will this hurt The Donald's chances? It will if he lets himself be baited into unfortunate remarks. If he plays it right, I think it might even help him. I hope he says something like: "Isn't she beautiful?"

The floating book shop was open only a few minutes today when the rain came. My thanks to the gentleman who bought Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations, originally published in 1776, required reading for economists and intellectuals. The day wasn't a total loss, as I received an email from RewardsTV stating that I've won the auction for a $20 gift certificate for Amazon. The past three months I was outbid on the final day. I now have $320 worth of GC's in the bank. My goal is $400. I will use them to buy copies of my eighth book, which I plan to self-publish in January.
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/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

The Writer's Life 7/30 - Distinctions

   My thanks to author Bill Brown, who bought Herbert Asbury's Gangs of New York, to Jack of Chase, who purchased a Robin Cook thriller, and to the young lady who spotted Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned as I was closing shop. Special thanks to Amazon.com, which paid me for a May Kindle download that occurred in the UK. Had I not been prompted to set up payment acceptance form overseas, I would never had know about it. If Amazon had kept the royalty I would have been none the wiser. Kudos to Bezos and company.

Here's an excerpt from a short story, Distinctions, part of the Billionths of a Lifetime collection. It was inspired by a raucous night on the town:

   I was unable to resist desert, pecan pie, although I was stuffed. I resolved to work out harder than usual tomorrow. When everyone had finished his coffee, Joey asked for the bill, which was more than $500. The others were surprised it wasn't greater. I was shocked, although I knew it would be a tax write-off. God bless America, I thought.

  "How much would it take to get you to walk around the restaurant in your underwear?" said Bobby to Phil.

  "I wouldn't do it in here," said Phil, blowing smoke over his head, sitting back, legs crossed, an arm around the chair beside him. "Gimme a hundred and I'll do it outside."

   The same $75 was raised. I felt an acute resistance within me. I was sure Phil would do it, and I cringed at the thought of those who would be offended. And I didn't want to see him make a fool of himself, although he was eager to accept the challenge, to prove his superiority to the others, even at the lower rate. As I saw it, he knew he would never match them in wealth, education, or background, so his only recourse was brazenness. None of the others would dare parade about midtown in his underwear, none would ever match him in "sickness." I found it sad, although no malice was intended by anyone except, perhaps, Bobby. I was reminded of a short story wherein an unfaithful wife had her adoring husband masquerade as a fool at a party, where he suffered fatal realization. I doubted the present consequences would be as dire, however.

    We left the place with great anticipation. As soon as we'd gathered outside, Phil began to strip, to the delight of everyone. The temperature was about 50 degrees this April night. Phil stood proudly in his briefs, black dress socks sagging about thin ankles. He held his arms out at his sides, inviting all to behold. "Am I sick or what?" he demanded. Everyone concurred.

    "Look at those socks!" Bobby cried out, beside himself.

     I stood apart, embarrassed yet amused as he accepted congratulatory high-fives. It was a harmless prank. I hoped the public would perceive it as such. Phil handed me his clothes, not trusting any of the others, and set off along 72nd Street, smiling, belly protruding and supported  by spindly legs taking long strides. I laughed so hard I collapsed into a squat trying to draw breath, which was difficult on a bloated stomach. My vision blurred at the force of my mirth. Those he passed were amused rather than offended. And he did not go quietly into the good night. He talked up a storm, avoiding, however, eye contact with passersby.

    I lagged, still in a squat. I did not rise until I noted the amused stares of the people seated just beyond the window of the restaurant. I looked away, irked at my self consciousness, certain it was assumed I was drunk. I slipped into a nook, hiding, intending a practical joke of my own, worried only that a policeman would appear and slap Phil with a summons for indecent exposure. I didn't have the heart to make him wait long, however. He dressed on Lexington Avenue, boasting as he pulled on his pants, assuring everyone he would do it again if the money was right.

    "I'm no fool," he boasted. "I got seventy-five tamatas in my pocket. Go 'head and laugh, douche bags. Who's better than me?"

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/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

The Writer's Life 7/29 - Zzzzzz

Before the conventions began, it seemed a certainty there would be violent protests in Cleveland and Philadelphia. Fortunately, the actions were only verbal. Will Hillary get a bounce as Trump did? Probably, even though she promised the same ol' same ol' in her acceptance speech. To paraphrase Gertrude Stein's thoughts on the rose; " A socialist is a socialist is a socialist." Her speech moved everyone in the house except Bill, who was nodding off. If you don't believe that, look up the video on youtube. Trump remains a mystery politically, although he has always been liberal on financial issues. Hillary can just about do or say anything. Her core will remain with her. Just about everything about her has been revealed. The media will do its best to get her elected. Trump's core is in constant flux. He is described as a loose cannon no one would want at the controls of the nuclear arsenal, the same nonsense that was said of Ronald Reagan. He may say things that will hurt him. In fact, it's likely he will. It's his nature. His strength comes from the disenchantment of citizens with the political class. I will be pleasantly surprised if he wins. Ever the pessimist when it comes to politics, I expect Hillary to win. While I'm willing to take a chance on the unknown, I think the majority will opt for the safety of the known, even if that elects someone whose record is abysmal. Before the 2008 election, I suspected President Obama was a radical leftist, but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has been everything I expected, and I don't mean that as a compliment. I believe Hillary is corrupt, dishonest, slow-witted and perhaps even incompetent, which is mind-boggling given her experience. I fear her policies will do to America what decades of liberalism have done to Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore and upstate New York, and other areas. I don't know what Trump's policies would be. His supporters are expecting too much and would likely be disappointed in his presidency. If Bernie's supporters had any sense, they would be happy. The country has been trending left since the 1930's, with a few corrections here and there, and a Clinton presidency would continue that. And a Trump presidency may be powerless to stop that momentum.

I enjoyed my morning walk more than usual, as the light rain felt so good after days of intense heat, and the stiff wind mid day was a delight. The floating book shop enjoyed its best session in a while. I was immediately blessed with a smart shopper. A gentleman noticed the five novels by Robert Ludlum I had on display and asked how much they were. I said two bucks for one, five for all, and he went for the full monty. That took a lot of weight and space away from the inventory. My thanks, and to the woman who bought Catherine Coulter's Split Second, the one who bought a novel in Russian, and Ira, who snapped up four celebrity bios for his mom: Paul Anka, Tony Curtis, Princess Grace and Tony Bennett.

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/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

The Writer's Life 7/28 - Miscreants

Given what occurs daily around the world, which is dispersed so quickly by satellites and the WWW, it's hard to be surprised by what some human beings do. Still, sometimes... A 45-year-old guy in Georgia should have been spending the rest of his life on easy street after winning three million on a scratch off lottery ticket. He could have deposited the money and let it accumulate interest, which, granted, is paltry these days -- but it would have been interest on three million! So what did he do? He invested a large portion of the funds on buying and selling crystal meth. The Feds seized a million bucks worth of the drug from his home, and weapons and ammo, cars, and $600,000 in cash. I hope he has some dough left over for lawyers. Liberals are looking into the root causes of his behavior.

If put to a vote, how many Americans would approve the release of John Hinckley from a psychiatric facility? His mom is 90. Let's hope he continues to take his meds.

A 23-year-old North Carolina man stole 970 venus flytraps plants from public lands. They are carnivores that pray on insects. What was he up to? Maybe he was planning a new production of Little Shop of Horrors. He will have the next 6-17 months to work on it.

A NYC gang of three has been busted for bank robberies in which they broke through rooftops. The FBI suspects they perpetrated 11 heists since 2009, and described the deeds as intricately planned and executed. The thieves netted millions in cash, jewelry and other valuables. They gambled and partied in Vegas and Miami. Perhaps prison psychiatrists will make them change their ways.

There's a rumor going around that there was a gathering of miscreants last night in the city of brotherly love. I saw only Palestinians waving their "country's" flag.

When I carried the first two crates over to my usual book nook, I immediately noted that someone had left a bag full of best sellers on the ledge of the garden that surrounds the apartment building. My thanks, whoever you are, and to Thirsty Dave, lead singer of the country swing band Desert Caravan, who brought me another bagful. And thanks to the kind folks who made purchases on what is hoped to be the last day of scorching heat for a while. The most surprising aspect of the session was that the celebrity row section was virtually ignored. The Latino vinyl albums again received rave reviews but no takers. I laughed when Eddie, one of the custodians of the Atlantic Towers complex, broke into song with an older woman after she had noted the discs.

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/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

The Writer's Life 7/27 - Swamped

Herbie didn't bring any books with him today. He asked if I'd seen any of Slick Willie's speech. I hadn't. The sight of any of the three Clintons makes me want to hurl. He lamented the fact that Hillary does not possess Bill's charisma. "I mean, she's smart and everything, but..." he said. I often hear how intelligent she is, and other than the fact that she was good at school I haven't seen much evidence of it. Given the incredible foolishness involving the email scandal, she seems downright dumb, or maybe that was just hubris, since Billary has always been above the law. Anyway. This morning talk show host Mark Simone mentioned that she failed the bar exam twice and did not pass it until she took it in Arkansas. Draw your own conclusions. I mentioned this to Herbie, who said that his dad, who died suddenly of a heart in his 50's, passed the bar the first time, at age 39 after going to night school for years. He had a CPA too. I told him how much I admired that. "My mother was so proud," Herbie reminisced. As we were conversing, I spotted the approach of a middle age woman laden with several shopping bags and a wheeled cart. During the past two months she has donated about 100 books to the cause, many of them celebrity-oriented. I told her: "My friend Herbie here has been looking for a bio of Susan Hayward for the longest time." "Oh, I loved her," she said. Unfortunately, her dad, who passed away recently, didn't have any books on that talented flame-haired beauty. There are several available at Amazon, but Herbie isn't online. Maybe I'll surprise him with one when I do a bulk order of my next book in January. Today's cast of characters included: Cristopher Reeve, Neil Diamond, Jerry Vale, Martin and Lewis, the Rat Pack, Julie Andrews, Princess Grace, Tony Bennett, Paul Anka, Billy Crystal and Barbra Streisand, the latter of which I let Herbie have as a thanks for all the books he's given me. He was interested because it includes the James Brolin part of Babs' life. There were several other works of non-fiction among the group, including pictorials on Elvis and Sinatra, both of which sold. Only two works of fiction were included: one by the prolific Jodi Picoult, and Shadows on the Hudson by one of my favorite writers, Isaac Bashevis Singer. 

Another woman delivered a batch of about 20 vinyl records, all but one by Latino artists. The other was a compilation featuring Streisand, Steve and Eydie and others. When later two of the porters, Salvador and Juan of the Atlantic Towers complex, were passing, I asked if they wanted any. They declined but Juan was clearly impressed by Daniel Santos, a singer and composer of boleros and overall performer of multiple Caribbean music genres, who died in '92 at 76 (Wiki). His family emigrated to New York in 1924. I was hoping there would be an album by Celia Cruz among the stack -- alas. I only examined three: the aforementioned one in English and two by Santos. I was shocked that all seemed in pristine condition. I'd expected the usual scratches and dust those discs always accumulate. I'll try to sell them for a buck a piece. I may even give them away, especially if any of the porters that have given me books want any. The sale of vinyl records has rebounded the past few years, but still...

My thanks to the young man who bought Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner; to Ira, who purchased Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty by Diane Keaton -- before the other celebrity stuff he loves so much came to me; and to the other kind folks who made purchases. If the forecast is correct, relief from the heat is only 48 or so hours away. The trunk of the old Hyundai is completely crammed. There must be 200 items in it.

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/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

The Writer's Life 7/26 - Authors & Weirdos

Most writers hope their work will influence people. Sometimes warped minds pervert an author's intent. Here are four examples gleaned from britannica.com, pared and edited by yours truly: "Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy is the story of a vast empire’s collapse and rejuvenation. It caught the imagination of the leaders of a Japanese religious group and shaped the thinking that resulted in the horrific gas attack on Tokyo’s subway in 1995. 13 people died and some 5,500 were injured... William Harrison Ainsworth’s novels are largely forgotten, but during his heyday, in the first half of the 19th century, he was hugely popular in England. That may have encouraged a Swiss valet to claim the author’s crime novel, Jack Sheppard, inspired him to murder his employer. It remains unclear whether the perpetrator actually read the novel or simply knew of it, but Ainsworth was horrified by the incident and began writing historical novels instead... Joseph Conrad published The Secret Agent in weekly installments from 1906 to 1907. Its plot revolves around an attempt to dynamite the Greenwich Observatory. Ted Kaczynski, a wide-ranging reader, was known to have read Conrad repeatedly, and the parallels between The Secret Agent and infamous Unabomber’s own life prompted the FBI to contact Conrad scholars in an attempt to better understand his campaign of mail-bomb terror... When Mark David Chapman was arrested after fatally shooting John Lennon in 1980, he had a copy of  The Catcher in the Rye with him. He later wrote to the New York Times insisting that a reading of J. D. Salinger’s novel 'will also help many to understand what has happened.' In 2000 Chapman claimed the novel didn’t cause him to murder Lennon but that he went too far in identifying with its protagonist, Holden Caulfield..." I remember how leery I was about my third novel, Killing, which I consider my best. Even though the protagonist does not carry out his plan, I feared someone would imitate it. Maybe I should be glad only 122 copies have sold. I had the same fear about a short story, Network 2015, I wrote circa 1990. It involves younger people assassinating the elderly because of the drain their care is in taxes. It was published in a small press magazine in 1997 and appears in the A Hitch in Twilight collection. It's now 2016 and, fortunately, the contentious problem of entitlements has not incited any widespread violence in that vein. 

Kudos to Bernie's supporters for keeping the protests strictly verbal so far.

I dreaded setting up shop in the heat but immediately realized how silly I was being as soon as I reached Avenue Z, where a cooling breeze was blowing. It was so pleasant I didn't even drink from the bottle of water I'd brought. Unfortunately, business continued to be slow. My thanks to the gentleman who purchased James MacBride's highly praised The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. Published in 2006, 1200+ readers have rated in at Amazon, forging to a consensus of 4.5 of five. My thanks also to the FedEx Guy, who donated Steven W. Horn's wonderfully titled When Good Men Die, which has been rated five stars by all six of its reviewers. It is Horn's third Sam Dawson mystery. Is he the next break out author of the genre? I offered it as a gift to Herbie, who has donated many mysteries to the floating book shop. Curiously, he turned it down.

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/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

The Writer's Life 7/25 - Chaos

During the RNC the mainstream media frequently, gleefully described what it observed as chaos. How rich that the DNC is beginning under a cloud. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as dedicated a socialist to the Democrats' cause as could be, has been given the boot for rigging the primary in favor of Hillary. This is news only to those who chose to look the other way. The spin some spokespersons are putting on it is amusing: the emails that prove Schultz's guilt were hacked and made public by Russians at the behest of Putin, who wants a Trump presidency. I think gaming the system was smart. The Clinton machine, as usual, has gotten away with it and, despite her myriad problems, Hillary still has a 50-50 chance of winning the White House. I doubt Sanders could have won the general election. I'll be surprised if Schultz does not work behind the scenes of the campaign. She is a valuable asset, completely ruthless. Now the question is how rowdy Bernie's followers will be. If the situation gets violent, the media can always blame Fox News. Which reminds me -- Roger Ailes has been forced out by Rupert Murdoch's sons, who for some reason dislike him. Ailes took FN from nowhere to the most powerful force in TV news. It has better ratings than all of the other cable news networks combined. Without FN, the entire industry would be going unchecked in lock step with the Democrats' agenda. Thank you, sir.

Recently, I noticed that my bank statement included a payment of .41 cents from Amazon. I haven't had any web sales for a couple of months, which is not the fault of Amazon, so the cash must be the result of "reads," customers perusing a few pages of any of my seven books. It's not much dough, but it's still neat, writer-friendly. My only quibble is that I've been unable to pinpoint, on the monthly statements, which books have been sampled. Also, this past week I was prompted to register my books for payments in foreign markets. I did so in order to put an end to the emails, not because I expected any royalties from overseas. Well, I was just notified that I'll be receiving payment for at least one sale each in the UK and Japan. I doubt the person is a Japanese native. Maybe it's a Yank working there. Sales of my books are pathetic overall, but I appreciate this business model. Hail, Amazon.

If the forecast is right, there will be no relief from the intense heat until Friday. Today I wanted a parking spot on Bay Parkway between 84th & 83rd St., where there are several trees and there is no meter requirement. It's not as good as being in front of the Chase bank, but the weather is forcing concessions. My thanks to the teenage girl who purchased Mary Kubica's best-selling thriller, The Good Girl, which 3300+ users at Amazon have rated 4.2 out of five stars. Herbie, who donated the novel to the cause, likens it to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. He claims the end is boffo.

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/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

The Writer's Life 7/24 - Juggalos

Here's another of pop culture's weird, fascinating developments, as detailed in an article in today's NY Post by Sean Murphy, pared and edited by yours truly: "There are a million people who identify as 'Juggalo' in the United States. They are ardent followers of the band Insane Clown Posse, two white rappers who perform in makeup, who have sold 6.5 million records since 2007. Juggalos take their name from The Juggla, which boasts lyrics such as: 'The doctor told me I’m a psycho/So I ate his face like I don’t know.' There is an annual Gathering of the Juggalos, a festival that attracts thousands and has been described as 'Woodstock meets Sodom and Gomorrah.' In the wake of the Columbine massacre, Insane Clown Posse was name-checked as a potential influence on the shooters. The FBI labeled Juggalos a gang in the same category as the Bloods, Crips and MS-13. Enter Steve Miller, whose book Juggalo: Insane Clown Posse and the World They Made, explains, rationalizes and celebrates the lifestyle. Members wear clown makeup, flash signs, speak in invented slang and sport ghoulish jewelry. Miller spends time with the  devotees, defends the loyalty that inspires 500-mile road trips, and shows how the community thrives in big cities and small towns. The Juggalos even boast police officers as members. Before they were labeled a gang, the National Gang Intelligence Center issued a classified report connecting Juggalos to everything from drive-by shootings to the Ku Klux Klan. Incidents like the pelting of singer Tila Tequila with rocks and beer bottles at the 2010 Gathering bolstered the Fed’s case. Insane Clown Posse filed suit and will have its day in court. Miller argues that in a world of sports fanatics, bikers and fraternities, not much that Juggalos say or do is any worse than what occurs at any large gathering. Miller also states that Insane Clown Posse embodies the American Dream in that without the backing of a major label the band mastered a DIY ethos with guerrilla marketing, attracting a certain type of fan — one that could be male or female, a teenager or a 40-something, mostly white but not exclusively so, and invariably an individual who feels ignored by mainstream society. Band member Violent J says: “We’re easy targets. We’re clowns. We didn’t use the corporate mainstream machines. They all look at us as outsiders, and they want to f–k with us because we didn’t use their power structure to get where we are . . . we’re not supposed to be here.”

Sad news for hardliners: the production of VCR's will cease in two weeks. Last year 750,000 were sold under the Sanyo label. It's another example of the creative destruction of capitalism. DVD's and streaming have won the battle for the marketplace. It wouldn't be surprising if the former becomes extinct in the future, although I'd hate to see that happen. If discs don't bring in acceptable profits, they will be phased out. As of now, I'm not sure I will ever convert to streaming, although I admire the business model and understand its popularity.

There is a new diva in the sports world -- White Sox ace Chris Sale. Scheduled to start yesterday, he threw a fit because the team was scheduled to wear throwback uniforms, which he finds uncomfortable. He cut up every single one laid out in the clubhouse. He has been fined and suspended five games, despite his stellar stats: 14-3, 3.18 ERA.

The floating book shop had tremendous luck today. The parking space under the tree in front of the Chase bank was immediately available, and a customer purchased three books as soon as I'd set up the display. Two of them involved POTUS: Louis L. Picone's The President Is Dead!, which explains the death of every one up to Gerald Ford; and Dennis V.N. McCarthy's Protecting the President: The Inside Story of a Secret Service Agent, which he co-wrote with Philip P. Smith. My thanks, sir, and to the Bible-toting Christian gentleman who surprised me by buying Aryeh Kaplan's If You Were God, in which the Rabbi asks readers to imagine themselves on an island where there are several violent tribes and assigns the task of how to improve life without revealing oneself. Damn, I wish I'd put it aside to read myself. Thanks also to Conspiracy Guy, who settled his tab. Special thanks to the Asian woman, who must have assumed selling items in such heat indicates desperation, and who gave me a bottled water, a ten-ounce bottle of grape juice, a muffin and a noodle dish she must have bought from a nearby vendor. I just had it for dinner. It was delicious.
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 7/23 - Revenant

The dictionary defines Revenant as "a person who has returned, especially from the dead." I caught up to it last night, courtesy of Netflix. The film received twelve Oscar nominations, winning seven, including Best Picture. Leonardo DiCaprio finally received the recognition he deserved, and he brought his usual excellence to the role of true-life frontiersman Hugh Glass, of whom I'd never heard. The story is simple, stark and uncompromising, based in part on a novel by Michael Punke. Mexico's Alejandro G. Inarritu was at the helm and seems to be establishing himself as the next great director. He was awarded an Academy Award for his work, as was Emmanuel Lubezki for his cinematography. The themes are loss and vengeance. Tom Hardy's star is in ascendance. He is terrific as the villain, a role he has mastered, having previously played Bane in The Dark Knight Returns (2012) and Bill Sikes in the the most recent adaptation of Oliver Twist (2007), a BBC production. He also played the title role in Mad Max Fury Road. 2015 a banner year for him. The action of The Revenant takes place in the early 1800's. There is a genuine feel of authenticity. The violence is brutal, unsanitized. Anyone squeamish about such depiction should pass. It runs a little long, 2:25. I didn't pause the DVD a single time, which is always an accurate indication of worth. The film was also successful financially, although not a blockbuster, taking in $183 million in the USA alone on a budget of $135 million. 395,000+ users at IMDb have rated The Revenant, forging to a consensus of 8.1 of ten. I wouldn't go that high. On a scale of five, I say 3.5. Perhaps that is a result of the high expectations I had. It was the movie I most looked forward to seeing.

Here's how I would rank 2016's Oscar nominees for Best Picture:
Room -- unusual and fresh.
Brooklyn -- touching.
The Revenant
Mad Max Fury Road -- fun but broke no new ground.
The Martian -- quirky and smart, but it didn't captivate me.
Bridge of Spies -- the most disappointing of the lot.
Spotlight - no interest in it.
The Big Short -- ditto.
I would not classify any of the six I've seen as great.

Some sessions I see the very interesting while running the floating book shop. Such was the case yesterday. An old timer who passes just about every day was inching along on his stroller, which was laden with several packages. Two of the larger were filled with paper goods he got on sale at CVS. He seemed to be having more trouble than usual. I spoke to him for the first time ever, asking if I could help in any way. As I expected, he declined. To my delight, he rendered a brief run down on his life. He will soon be 91. He was sent to the Philippines as a teenager in 1945. Fortunately, the bombs were soon dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing an end to action in the Pacific theater, saving the lives of countless young Americans, including him. Later, Ol' Smoky came along, pulling his wheeled carry-all behind him, obviously exhausted, as if the device weighed a thousand pounds. Usually, he will gab for at least an hour in his inimitable scatter-brain way. Yesterday he immediately laid out a narrow mat on the sidewalk and went to sleep about five yards from the last of the books on display. There wasn't anything I could do for him, either. Many passersby made jokes, as did I, saying he was my assistant taking a break. He was still out three hours later when I returned from the pizzeria. He's okay. I saw him earlier in the library, where we'd both gone to cool off. It's 4:42 PM and the temperature is 96.

I told myself I'd operate the book shop today only if an ideal parking spot was available. None was. I'm in excellent shape for my age, but lugging heavy crates a long way in intense heat is not smart for a 66-year-old. Whenever I miss a session I have the nagging feeling something isn't right. It will be gone by late morning. I'll be back in action tomorrow, starring in my own version of The Revenant.

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 7/22 - Ice Hot

This morning I caught Rush Limbaugh's pre-recorded morning minute, which led to a Google search and an article by Craig Boudreau at dailycaller.com. Here's the gist, edited and pared by yours truly: "A group of adventurers, sailors, pilots and climate scientists recently began a journey around the North Pole to document the lack of ice. It ran into a snag, blocked from further travel by -- what else -- ice. The Polar Ocean Challenge is on a two month journey from Bristol, Alaska, to Norway, then to Russia through the North East passage, back to Alaska through the North West passage, to Greenland and then ultimately back to Bristol. Their objective, as laid out by its website, is to demonstrate “that the Arctic sea ice coverage shrinks back so far now in the summer months that the sea that was permanently locked up now can allow passage through.” The voyagers are currently stuck in Murmansk, Russia  Real Climate Science provides a graph showing that current Arctic temperatures — despite alarmist claims of the Arctic being hotter than ever — are actually below normal. The team is not the first global warming expedition to be faced with such trouble. In 2013 an Antarctic research vessel became trapped in the ice, the problem so severe the 52 crew members had to be rescued. In 2015 a Canadian ice breaking ship was forced to reroute and help a number of supply ships that had become trapped." Does this prove anything in the great global warming debate? Only that situations constantly change. I've not done a lot of research on the issue. I know the planet has been warming since its inception and that life has flourished because of it. Is Earth now warming too fast? Is it permanent? I'm not smart enough to answer those questions. If warming is occurring at an alarming rate, I believe it's natural, not man made. Again, I cannot prove this. I posted the excerpt because it is amusing -- writers love irony, after all, and because there are zealots who believe the science of climate change is settled and counter-arguments should be subject to government fines. Science is constantly being debunked or altered. That has been its history.

Congratulations to the citizens and powers that be of Cleveland, who were exemplary hosts of the RNC. As far as I know, there was no violence. The only protest I saw was a Facebook post of a silly woman trying to burn an American fan, and succeeding only in lighting her clothing on fire. The best part of the Donald's speech is hearing how angry it's made liberals. And never mind Donald Jr. running for president in the future -- let's go right to Ivanka, who is so impressive. And now it's on to Philadelphia and the Democratic coronation. Let's hope there will be no violence.

RIP Dennis Green, 67, who succumbed to a heart attack. He was an NFL coach 13 seasons, ten with the Vikings, three with the Cardinals. His teams made the playoffs eight of his ten years in Minnesota. Alas, he was dubbed a coach who failed to "take his teams to the next level." His record was 113-94. Well done, sir.

The floating book shop did a lot better than expected on the first day of what is expected to be a long heat wave. Fortunately, there was a nice breeze blowing along Avenue Z. My thanks to the young man who bought Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic, Dune, and Thurston Clarke's Ask Not, which covers the impact JFK's inaugural speech had on America. My thanks also to the woman who purchased Nicholas Sparks' The Lucky One, and to Herbie, who donated a paperback thriller. I will run the book shop tomorrow only if I land an ideal parking spot.
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 7/21 - Hardboiled

I couldn't recall if I'd ever read a novel by Mickey Spillane, the scourge of literary critics. Since there were none of his works on my book shelves, I assumed I hadn't. When Survival Zero fell into my lap, I immediately put it on my desk. I just finished it. Published in 1970, mid-career, it is told from the point of view of the iconic Mike Hammer, an intrepid, non-nonsense P.I. often drawn into violent confrontation, and steamy encounters with beauties -- dolls or broads. I really enjoyed the mystery and the NYC setting. Spillane, born in Brooklyn, paints an unflattering picture of the Big Apple, which at that time was dirty and crime-ridden, so unlike the scrubbed tourist mecca it has become. The plot involves the hunt for a pickpocket who apparently murdered a friend of the gumshoe. The sub-plot involves Cold War intrigue. Spillane ties it all together neatly. The prose is intentionally unpolished, the dialogue filled with the slang of the era. Profanity is virtually absent. I would not say it is an easy read, but it is a satisfying one. Known for his lean and mean style, Spillane tells the story in a mere 160 pages. I did not have as much trouble with the tiny print of the Signet paperback as I'd expected. The violence is shocking even in light of today's relaxed standards. Six users at Amazon have rated Survival Zero, forging to a consensus of four out of five stars. I say 3.5. Spillane enlisted in the Army Air Corps during WWII and served as a fighter pilot and flight instructor. His first and most popular novel, I, the Jury, has been filmed twice, 1953 and 1982. The best adaptation of his work is Kiss Me Deadly (1953), which is always mentioned among the top film-noir of all-time. His books -- I counted 45 at Wiki -- have sold 225 million worldwide. There have been three series based on his iconic character, '58-'59, '84-'87, '97-'98. Hammer has been played by Ralph Meeker, Stacy Keach, Armand Assante, Darren McGavin and Kevin Dobson (Kojak). Spillane played Hammer himself in The Girl Hunters (1963). He has six credits as an actor, including an appearance on Columbo in which he played the victim, a writer. Married three time for long periods, he, ironically, neither drank nor smoked. He was a convert to Jehovah's Witness. In 1995 he was honored with the Edgar Allen Poe Grand Master Award. He died in 2006 at 88. Here are a couple of telling quotes attributed to him: "Those big-shot writers could never dig the fact that there are more salted peanuts consumed than caviar... If the public likes you, you're good." "I'm a writer, not an author. The difference is a writer makes money."

Three days and no violence thus far at the RNC, knock wood. Has there even been an arrest?... Ted Cruz insists on being hated. He would have made an excellent pro wrestler heel... Here's an excerpt from Mike Pence's speech, gleaned from a Kyle Smith op-ed piece in today's NY Post: “The national debt has nearly doubled in these eight years and [Hillary Clinton’s] answer is to keep borrowing and spending . . . they tell us this economy is the best that we can do. It’s nowhere near the best that we can do. It’s just the best that they can do.”

CBS' American Gothic seems to be vying for the most lurid prime time show ever. It fully embraces dysfunction and seems to paint all families as similar to the sorry bunch it features. If all families are as is portrayed -- even remotely -- I doubt civilization would have lasted this long. Of course everyone has sins and dark secrets, but this show piles them on. And yet I keep watching.

My thanks to Lev, who bought two mysteries in Russian, and to the young construction worker who bought the James Patterson/Michael Ledwidge thriller, Zoo. I'm not looking forward to the long heat wave that has been forecast.
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 7/20 - Big Names

RIP Garry Marshall, 81, prolific Hollywood veteran. Born in NYC, his real last name was Maschiarelli, his dad a goombah. He was involved in so many iconic sitcoms, starting as a writer, then branching into production. Here are a few of the shows he made a mark on: The Odd Couple, Mork and Mindy, Laverne and Shirley, and Happy Days. At IMDb he has 38 credits as a writer, not counting multiple scripts he did for many series, which runs the count into the hundreds; 29 as a producer; 83 as an actor; 30 as a director. He was at the helm of one of America's favorite films, Pretty Woman (1990). He was married to the same woman since 1963, father of three. He is the brother of Penny Marshall. Here is a quote attributed to him: "In the education of the American people, I am Recess." Well done, sir.

Through two days of the RNC, no reports of violence. Whew! The right has struck back against the charges of plagiarism against Melania Trump by posting on social media word for word rip-offs Barack Obama has done, which, of course, the mainstream media has missed.

There is a color picture of a Chicago Cub sliding into a base in today's NY Post. His name, stitched on the back of his jersey, leaped from the page: Szczur. He is an outfielder batting .291, 3 homers, 19 RBI. I'm sure Vanna and Pat would be willing to sell him a couple of vowels.

It was another picture perfect day. My thanks to Barry Spunt, author of Heroin and Music in New York City, who overpaid, giving double what I asked, for four Hollywood bios: Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Tony Curtis and Barbra Streisand; and to the gentleman who bought two Vince Flynn thrillers; and to the blonde beauty who purchased Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (say that three times fast). I got a kick out of the young beauty scrounging around in her well-stocked, wheeled carry-all, which housed a new Apple laptop and plenty of stuff to help her survive an emergency. She came up twenty-four cents short. I let her slide -- no ulterior motive, of course.

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 7/19 - Potpourri

One item from coverage of yesterday's activities at the RNC brought a smile to my face. The media filing center has been exiled to a half mile from the convention site -- next to a pigsty, which is part of a sustainable farming project. How fitting that the press, most of which leans way left, be housed beside their own. At least they won't have far to go to recycle... Does anything reveal so clearly how desperate reporters have become in their frustrated efforts to stop Trump than the accusations that Melania plagiarized a portion of a Michele Obama speech? I don't know whether she did or didn't, but it seems, of all the people to steal from, MO would be among the least desirable. If it is found that a speech writer is responsible, he/she should be fired to show that there are consequences to such behavior. If it was MT herself, the Donald should curtail her allowance. On a positive note, there were no reports of violence.

It seems the failed coup has only served to accelerate the pace toward an Islamic state in Turkey. Erdogan now has license to move even further from the secularism that has characterized the country for decades. In a side bar, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Enes Kanter, a native of Turkey and outspoken critic of Erdogan, is receiving death threats.

Here are the highest rated films, on a scale of ten, at IMDb:
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 9.2. I think I'm the only person on the planet who deems it jailhouse B.S..
2. The Godfather (1972) 9.2. "Leave the gun, take the connolis."
3. The Godfather: Part II (1974) 9.0. "Cheech -- a porta!"
4. The Dark Knight (2008) 8.9. By far the best of anything ever done on the iconic character.
5. Schindler's List (1993) 8.9. I prefer documentaries on the holocaust.
6. 12 Angry Men (1957) 8.9. Great drama, but I still think the kid's guilty.
7. Pulp Fiction (1994) 8.9. Replace it with Reservoir Dogs (1992)
8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) 8.9. Yawnnnn!
9. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) 8.9. Great fun. Eli Wallach was hilarious.
10. Fight Club (1999) 8.8. May have surprised me more than any other film I've ever seen.

The previous three sessions of the floating book shop were characterized by high heat and humidity and a few sales each day. Today the weather was near perfect, and nary a sale occurred. My regulars have been MIA at my usual nook. My thanks to Natalia and Benedict, who donated three books in Russian.
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/

Bulls

The Republican National Convention is underway. I've seen posts on Facebook saying that billionaire George Soros is paying minions to protest and disrupt, and others saying bikers will be there to confront the leftists. I hope none of it's true, but, given the national mood, no one should be surprised if things get very ugly. The shooting deaths of three more cops, this time in Louisiana, has increased the tension. Has rhetoric fanned the flames? The temptation for conservatives to say so is overwhelming. The hard left has the atmosphere it wants, which brings to mind the old adage: "Be careful what you wish for -- you just might get it." Let the conflicts be verbal, peaceful. I suppose that's wishful thinking.

Here's the final box score from this year's running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain: 12 people, including four Americans, were gored in the eight runs. Six were later released from the city hospital and the rest were said to be progressing well.The nine-day fiesta known for its 24-hour street partying became world famous when featured in Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises. It attracts thousands of foreign tourists. In the runs, hundreds of daredevils dash with six fighting bulls and their accompanying steer along a 930-yard street course to the city's bull ring. In all, 15 people have died from gorings at the festival since record-keeping began in 1924. In other words, plenty of hits, runs and errors.

There may be a winner in the quest for the next great high. A Pennsylvania man sprayed fluid used to embalm a human brain on marijuana he then smoked. State police charged the 26-year-old with abuse of a corpse and conspiracy. Court records indicate an aunt contacted detectives after finding a human brain in a department store bag under a porch. "The defendant related that he knew it was illegal to have the brain and that he and (another man) would spray the embalming fluid on 'weed' to get high," claimed an the investigator. Court records indicate the brain was real and that the guy named it Freddy. It is believed to be a stolen teaching specimen. Cue the Curtis Mayfield song: "Freddie's dead/That's what I said."

My thanks to the three kind folks who bought books on this blistering day, and to the woman who donated about 15 in the young adult category, and to Jack of Chase, who donated as many thrillers, several of which he'd purchased from me. I've been taking BP medication for a month. This morning I visited the doctor. My top number is still 140, but the bottom number fell from 95 to 84. Funny thing is, I don't feel at all different.

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 7/17 - Europa & Beyond

Phil Mickelson must be asking himself what he has to do to win another major. He shoots -17 at Scotland's Royal Troon and finishes second? Sweden's Henrik Stenson, 40, shot a blistering final round eight under to take the Open Championship at -20! The next closest player was Yank J. B. Holmes at -6. I had a feeling Mickelson, 46, would be in the hunt. He is long overdue for a win. Henson's name can now be erased from the list of "Best Player to Have Never Won a Major." Skol, sir.

Turkey's President, Recep Erdogan, has been leading his country away from secularism and toward Islam for years. Would those who plotted the coup have been more hardcore or less?

Indiana Governor Mike Pence seems a good choice for the vice-presidency. Time will tell. I'm relieved it's not Chris Christie, which I believe would have doomed the ticket. He will have a job more suitable to his strengths should Trump win.

Lady Gaga, 30, got her driver's license two weeks ago. She was pulled over yesterday in L.A.. She was driving not a sports car but a red Ford pickup. I wonder if she gave the officer her poker face.

RIP Nate "The Great" Thurmond, 72, NBA Hall of Fame center, who succumbed to leukemia. He was overshadowed by Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell during his career, but still made his mark. In 15 seasons he averaged 15 points and 15 rebounds per game. He was a seven-time All-Star, and was the first player ever to record a quadruple-double, more than ten points, rebounds, assists and blocks in a single game. Alas, like so many of the greats, a championship eluded him. Well done, sir.

Here's a flick for those who prefer strict sci-fi: Europa Report (2013). I caught it last night courtesy of Netflix. It is the story of an international space crew sent on a mission to explore what's beneath the ice on one of Jupiter's moons. It is told in semi-documentary style, obviously influence by 2001, A Space Odyssey (1968). It's not for those who prefer action-packed space operas. I am not qualified to comment on the accuracy of its science, which seemed authentic. My only question was why there wasn't a craft orbiting the orb while work was being done below. Only a few of the faces of the cast were vaguely familiar, which is a good thing, as it eliminates pre-conceived notions. All have extensive credits listed at IMDb. The director, Sebastian Cordero, has done most of his work in his native Ecuador. The screenwriter, Philip Gelat, has only a few credits. They've put together a movie of which to be proud. To my surprise, it was shot at Cine Magic Studios in Brooklyn, which indicates that CGI was greatly involved. 51,000+ users at IMDb have rated Europa Report, forging to a consensus of 6.5 of ten, which seems right. It runs less than 90 minutes. Cine Magic Studios has two locations in Greenpoint and one in lower Manhattan.

I've eliminated Park Slope from the floating book shop's locations, as the returns were too disappointing to justify the hassle of traveling there and waiting for a parking spot to clear. Today I set up on the opposite side of the street from the Chase bank at Bay Parkway and 85th. My thanks to the young woman on the way to the beach, who bought  Nelson DeMille's The Lion's Game, and to the woman who purchased a non-fiction work on healing.

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 7/16 - Picnic

Last night Movies!, 113 on Cablevision in NYC, ran Picnic (1955), another of those films that somehow had eluded me. Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning play by William Inge, it is the story of the effect a young hunk has in a one-day stay in a small Kansas town, the self-reflection he arouses in the other characters, which comes to a head at the annual Labor Day celebration. It features a dream cast. William Holden, 37 at the time, was too old for the lead but gave his all. Kim Novak was at the height of her cinema glory, as beautiful as any actress who has graced the silver screen. Susan Strassberg was affecting as the little sister dwarfed by her sibling's big shadow. Rosalind Russell was perfectly cast as a spinster desperate to get married. Arthur O'Connell was nominated for Best Supporting Actor as her reluctant boyfriend. Cliff Robertson, Nick Adams, Raymond Bailey (Mr. Drysdale), Betty Field and Verna Felton all played their parts well. The play may have been daring at the time, but the world has changed considerably since it was first produced in the early 50's. Parts of the narrative seem naive, but its heart is always in the right place. Picnic was nominated for six Oscars, winning two, for editing and Art & Set Decoration. It was shot beautifully, in vivid color, by the celebrated James Wong Howe. It's running time is just under two hours. It was directed by Joshua Logan, who specialized in adapting plays to the screen. He won a Tony for Mr. Roberts and South Pacific. Inge would later win an Oscar for Best Screenplay for Splendor in the Grass (1961), also set in Kansas and featuring similar leads to those in Picnic, the young and beautiful Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty. When his muse faded, he fell into depression, which led to suicide at 60. His work lives on. Picnic features a wow sequence, a simple dance between non-dancers. When Novak begins to sway -- Sweet Jesus! Here is that scene, courtesy of youtube. Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DBoMIi8bYc

Whenever I hear the word "picnic," I recall my mom's charming pronunciation: "pickanickeh." Other of my favorites was her "fifateen minoots" for 15 minutes, and 'choonga" for chewing gum. My sister always had a tough time with "finished," which she pronounced "fin-ish-ed," accent on the last syllable. I always teased her about it. I believe she now pronounces it "feen-eeshed." The way language evolves and is bastardized is endlessly fascinating.

The floating book shop was no picnic today, and not only because of the continuing heat wave. I set up under the tree in front of the Chase bank at Bay Parkway and 85th Street, and no one was interested in my wares. But, as is often the case, it was worthwhile for the fascination the human condition often supplies. I finally aroused the nerve to ask the tall, attractive dirty blonde Russian woman about the tattoo she sports on her upper left arm. Here's a close approximation of it:

Hers has more green and red. Since her English is limited, she said only "Angel -- not God," and pointed toward the ground. I couldn't bring myself to ask: "Devil?" Anyway, if she is a devil-worshiper, she's the nicest there ever was. She's given me about 20 books in her native tongue, all of which sold... And for the second time this month I unintentionally hosted an argument between B.S. Bob and Conspiracy Guy, who are at opposite extremes of the political spectrum. At first CG offered BS his hand, and Bob refused to shake. From there they devolved to a shouting match, insulting each other. The word "liar" was a constant, as was the F bomb. Bob, who claims to have two degrees from Johns Hopkins, gave an elitist's sniff to CG's claim of degrees from LIU and CW Post. CG regretted that he hadn't shot Bob in the face. I have a feeling there will be a round three down the road. I'm not looking forward to it. Who would stop to buy books while such a rhubarb was taking place?

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/