The June That Was

I'm hoping you all had a great month of June, I did. Our daughter graduated from kindergarten which, as you can imagine, was the highlight. She loves school and told us today she can't wait until summer vacation is over to go back—fingers crossed that attitude stays through 12th grade, right?

Beyond that I released Nik Morton's Continuity Girl through BEAT to a PULP books and published a final short story from the late William E. Wallace. Also, I continued to work on a Thomas Paine project (I help run The Quotable Paine on Twitter) and am nearing completion on Glenn Gray's Transgemination. That novella is "a must read for fans of retro sci-fi/horror B movies, woven with real science, as only Glenn Gray can do." 

I expanded my reach as a freelance writer with an article appearing at LitReactor. As I've mentioned before this is a big deal for me because I've respected the top tier quality that appears there, especially the work of Keith Rawson.

Okay, on to July ...

Duolingo's New Approach To A Difficult Language

I may look into this: Duolingo invented a new way to teach one of the most difficult languages to learn.

Haruki Murakami: Hardboiled, Surreal, and Bewitching

My article: Hardboiled, Surreal, and Bewitching: 3 Haruki Murakami Short Stories

Everybody knows - Leonard Cohen

Alan Turing on Mortality

Sad to think of how much more Alan Turing could have accomplished if his life hadn't been cut short. Over at Brain Pickings, a sample of the great mathematician: The Binary Code of Body and Spirit: Computing Pioneer Alan Turing on Mortality.

12 Novels to Read Before TV Ruins Them

Actually the header is: 12 Novels to Read Before They Head to TV

The Tower Looms

We begin our reread of The Dark Tower VII at Criminal Element. An excerpt:

The Dark Tower is very close, but our ka-tet is spread far and wide. Roland and Eddie are in 1977 where they have just finished meeting with the author Stephen King. In 1999, Father Callahan and Jake are about to storm The Dixie Pig lounge where Susannah is being held along with Mia, who is about to give birth to an unholy demon: this child has the DNA combo of Roland and Susannah and a “co-father” in the Crimson King. So, we are very close to our destination, the stakes are high, and it’s anybody’s guess who will live to see The Dark Tower. 

The Dark Tower looms on the horizon for both our ka-tet and you, our loyal readers, as we count down the days to the premiere of The Dark Tower film. The plan is to finish the series on the Tuesday before the premiere, so we'll be splitting The Dark Tower into four sections (about 200 pages each) and meeting here at our usual time (Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET) to discuss major themes, motifs, and reactions.

Subliminal Advertising

Book Cover Has Some Extremely Clever Subliminal Advertising.

Eight Writers On Why They Run

Peter Hessler, Joyce Carol Oates, Malcolm Gladwell, and others weigh in about finding inspiration on the trails.

I Before E Except After C: Uh, Maybe Not

Nathan Cunningham: i before e except after...w? 

Twin Peaks: The Return

I hope you are watching Twin Peaks: The Return. Last night's episode, #8, was one of the most surreal, unique experiences I've ever seen on television. It's almost beyond TV. The show is on Showtime. Don't miss it!

The Nine Inch Nails in Twin Peaks

TSA Checking Books

Why Airport Security Might Inspect Your Books Before Your Next Flight

Modern Spy Novel Also-Rans

Spy novels can't stay ahead of headlines Dilemma 

The Best Way To Consume 'Harry Potter'

I have never read these books and am ready to give them a try soon.

Elvis Costello - Complicated Shadows

Public Money Ought...

No More Watchmen!

I concur. Article: Alan Moore doesn’t want them, and we should respect that.

The Return of Letterpress Printing

"It takes some training to wean yourself off the absolute digital idea of perfection..."

Link: HOW LETTERPRESS PRINTING CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD

Buster Keaton stunts

My New Gig

I'm very pleased to say my first article for LitReactor is now live. Big deal for me because I've admired the high quality output that is their standard. Please take a look when you get a chance.

No Sizzle, Just Fizzle

The acting throughout this show has been one triumph after another, with special mentions going to Kristin Chenoweth, who was a bright spot, along with Emily Browning, who was a standout through the season. It pains me to say this because I’ve always enjoyed Gillian Anderson’s roles, but Media has been a bit of a letdown, especially the breathy impersonations of starlets—there’s no sizzle, just fizzle. 

More of my article here.

Closing Time

Those who knew William E. Wallace, knew he was a straight-shooting, no bullshit kind of man. That honesty pervaded his fiction writing where he composed gripping, hardboiled perfection. I had the honor of publishing a short story called "Fundamental Breach" for BEAT to a PULP and was jazzed when he said he had another for me though I knew I wouldn't be able to publish until this year. I'll never forget what he wrote back, "I will send it to you. Let me know if it works. I probably won't be around anymore in 2017, but I would love to have something appear out of nowhere after I am gone -- "ghost" written, so to speak. . ."

That matter-of-fact bluntness tore me up to read. I wish I could have worked with him more but I feel fortunate for the times I did. He had such a driven spirit, continuing to spin stories and play slide guitar right up to the end. Sir, thank you, for not just your incredible output as a writer but for being a damn fine human being that I called friend. 

And, here's one more from William E. Wallace … "Closing Time."

Nik Morton's Continuity

Nik Morton talking about BEAT to a PULP's next release Continuity Girl can be found here.

From Westlake with Love

Once again, I'm talking 007:

The James Bond I prefer, the “real” James Bond, is the one that exists outside of the bloated, by-the-numbers films. The highly profitable franchise produced few faithful adaptations, the genuine articles being Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), the loyal-in-gritty-spirit For Your Eyes Only(1981), and Casino Royale (2006). Otherwise, cinema JB is a cartoonish, pale comparison to the Bond that I highlighted in “The Gadgetless and Tired Assassin.”

That’s the 007 who has the feel of a tired public servant who's one martini away from turning his gun on himself or drinking himself into an oblivion. Not a handsome man—he has a visible scar on his face—but undeniably charismatic. He’s particularly ruthless, as in “The Hildebrand Rarity” (1960) where he covers up a murder by dumping a body overboard. There’s no bullshitting that the secret agent has a license to kill, and he takes the opportunity to use it if need be.

For the rest, click here to read From Westlake with Love: Exploring Donald Westlake's Lost Bond Novel, Forever and a Death.

Dean at 100

I take a look at Dean Martin's Westerns on what would have been his 100th birthday.

Song of Susannah Part II

The Dark Tower: Song of Susannah is zipping right along and I certainly appreciate all of you clicking over and upping the web traffic. Keeps me gainfully employed.

The Most Interesting Man in the World

I enjoyed this human interest article on The Most Interesting Man in the World. You may remember he was the spokesman for Dos Equis beer for a number of years. Sample:

During the course of his career, he worked with Burt Lancaster and John Wayne, Shelley Winters and Joan Fontaine; caroused with playwrights Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller; crossed egos with Dustin Hoffman; painted houses with Nicholas Colasanto (the guy who played Coach on Cheers); slept with a bevy of starlets, including Tina Louise, who played the hot marooned actress on Gilligan’s Island, and “six vegetarians, nine Buddhists, 18 nurses, six teachers, countless receptionists and one runner-up to Miss Florida.”

And full article here.

Across the Rio Grande

I feel AMERICAN GODS is blowing it. The Coming to America segments have been my personal favorites thus far in the first season of GODS, so much so that they often steal the show. But what a disappointment this week’s opening turned out to be.

Maybe it was the slow-mo action scene that lacked any palpable tension as a group of immigrants crossed the Rio Grande. Beforehand, there was a bit of praying, a quick shot of hand holding, and some grave instructions but little else. When one man who can’t swim begins to drown, Jesus is already there to lift him up, and then we see Christ walk across the water.

Rest of my takedown at Criminal Element.

Magic!

I've always enjoyed magic and use to practice quite a bit so I understood the beginning of this magicians act... and then he blows me away with the rest. Incredible.