tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62724101296421227772024-03-28T12:30:16.506-07:00THE EMOTIONAL RATIONALIST - Steven Paul Leiva's Blog.Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-79940759182530504042024-03-20T10:29:00.000-07:002024-03-20T10:29:31.377-07:00SIX PIPERS DANCING<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZowFed-858hBxmak_yrrwh2Q7Lcy9RpLu7A8sN5QEiKaO2KcsxfEeHAqmx3exMOjrS6ExSNeQpcy4FXo6mKhh-DpU7ucKPv8LGzi5nJi9K-2PhlD3CYzikoJ7E2jwHZPmTmmcbaFpZLMidFPtHUgMkOIt7sD7U0PulfczOpO5fHU4Nza_wr_EDomxst14/s1900/Screenshot%202024-03-19%20at%2011.40.56%E2%80%AFAM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="1900" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZowFed-858hBxmak_yrrwh2Q7Lcy9RpLu7A8sN5QEiKaO2KcsxfEeHAqmx3exMOjrS6ExSNeQpcy4FXo6mKhh-DpU7ucKPv8LGzi5nJi9K-2PhlD3CYzikoJ7E2jwHZPmTmmcbaFpZLMidFPtHUgMkOIt7sD7U0PulfczOpO5fHU4Nza_wr_EDomxst14/w640-h169/Screenshot%202024-03-19%20at%2011.40.56%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: large;">Yes, I know, it’s supposed to be eleven pipers piping. But I’m not talking about Christmas here. Except that reading one of Jean Rabe’s Piper Blackwell Mysteries always feels like Christmas. You know, the good ones, when you get exactly what you want plus a few delightful surprises. But essentially, I’m saying that Rabe’s Piper novels dance to the rhythm of her prodigious talent to choreograph the plot, to glide in descriptions of places, atmosphere, things, and people, and to perform the core of her characters, all moving the music of her prose.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">So far, there have been six Piper Blackwell Mysteries from <i>The Dead of Winter</i> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRJ8c0Cms-SakcIbQFsZzO1snO7k4BV6GRXuezh26Rz_KlNfcuntJvHSt9xpcyKfkX2KTtPa97jM8LFBmo5crFul2pobPqn7d4fYAxp__JFFj5NjcdrvOTlmI7P3WpigRgBTCPBDu1O2ub6PIRakLA4-4ptRZYJCzwx3rP5KZXPgI3pGqaQqmNB5AwzyW/s1500/WINTER.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRJ8c0Cms-SakcIbQFsZzO1snO7k4BV6GRXuezh26Rz_KlNfcuntJvHSt9xpcyKfkX2KTtPa97jM8LFBmo5crFul2pobPqn7d4fYAxp__JFFj5NjcdrvOTlmI7P3WpigRgBTCPBDu1O2ub6PIRakLA4-4ptRZYJCzwx3rP5KZXPgI3pGqaQqmNB5AwzyW/w266-h400/WINTER.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTQlZhTzD-o_nRh7ml3p2LPa0nYBRlkLDvqxeMsHbqNXVH4oTSZOLmuVxvwX6eztXSFTadvR9LjUBTuV_6lsvkM7HJEM6O5XZIxajEBU12YO-W0uda0L7oCkpFUGVP0FRE2QztkOixb5E6V58CFblLOtbggRnaF7y5WFgB7usubSa_0rbo3uy0iFHiBV6/s1500/SLED.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTQlZhTzD-o_nRh7ml3p2LPa0nYBRlkLDvqxeMsHbqNXVH4oTSZOLmuVxvwX6eztXSFTadvR9LjUBTuV_6lsvkM7HJEM6O5XZIxajEBU12YO-W0uda0L7oCkpFUGVP0FRE2QztkOixb5E6V58CFblLOtbggRnaF7y5WFgB7usubSa_0rbo3uy0iFHiBV6/w266-h400/SLED.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">to <i>The Dead of Sled Run</i>.</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">They cover the first year of Piper’s service as sheriff of an ordinarily peaceful county in Indiana. Piper is only twenty-three when she takes office on January 1. Fifty-eight minutes into that day, she is faced with her first murder. And a rather weird, grizzly, ironic one at that. Why ironic? You can find that out for yourself when you read the book, which I highly recommend.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then, of course, you will want to read the second, then the third, and onward until you finish <i>The Dead of Sled Run</i>, by which time I hope, for your sake, Rabe has released the seventh Piper novel!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Dead of Sled Run</i> begins with a terrifyingly described (in Rabe’s beautifully controlled prose) house fire that grievously harms Piper’s chief deputy as he remains in danger to save his four cats. A veteran of the force who ran against Piper for the sheriff’s position has, for the past year, maintained a certain bitterness over his loss. Be that as it may, this highly experienced officer of the law, despite having to take orders from a 23-year-old “girl” of only military police service, has never done less than excellent work as her chief deputy. Their relationship is understandably strained, but they have made some progress toward mutual respect in the last year, although there is still tension between them. But the fire, the result of apparent arson, is an attack on one of the department’s own, and Piper is determined to find and arrest whoever did it. And why?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Was it an anti-Semitic attack? Her chief deputy is Oren Rosenberg, a Jew. A six-pointed star has been painted onto his garage by the arsonist. Oren lives in a gated community in the town of Santa Claus (I kid you not, but you’ll learn about Santa Claus in the first Piper mystery). All the streets have cute Christmassy names, and, as the novel takes place during December, almost all the houses are decked out in bright-colored festive lights, except for Oren’s. However, as a long-time resident, his neighbors know him well and all like him. They have no negative feelings about him or his religion. So, how did someone get into the community to commit the crime?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then the garage of Piper’s father, the former sheriff (yes, this may have been why she won the election), and now the chief of police in Santa Claus, is set ablaze, destroying it and the apartment above it, where Oren’s granddaughter, a deputy sheriff (it’s a small county) lives. Neither was hurt in the fire.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then, Piper’s chief detective, Basil, stops the arsonist from burning down his house in the middle of the night and breaks his ankle, chasing the culprit. Basil is not Jewish. But he is black. Racism? Antisemitism? Or is it just broad hate for anyone not “white”?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Or is it something else just as vicious and very close to home?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can find all the Piper Blackwell Mysteries on Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078MLSXVZ?binding=kindle_edition&ref_=dbs_s_ks_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1710871724&sr=1-1">HERE</a>. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can learn more about Rabe and her work on her blog <a href="https://jeanrabe.com/">HERE</a>. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: right;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYE2Z_CpkP42Z-jv8AtfC5cu9z_E9XTNyawKtvyk5qLT0O3d4Eg-W4gI03_aE0-XNkqoJEnx77uwlmtJ1ollZnE_a2QbyJYHPcHVCIV9FaWHIgLZChyM86VGowineit2cvJhAOUGyd1fh-2ALh4DvPNpuJ4LdDSuVTVlQUhvCXTqOUN5xERcXegTyVlbx/s982/JEAN%20RABE.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="812" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYE2Z_CpkP42Z-jv8AtfC5cu9z_E9XTNyawKtvyk5qLT0O3d4Eg-W4gI03_aE0-XNkqoJEnx77uwlmtJ1ollZnE_a2QbyJYHPcHVCIV9FaWHIgLZChyM86VGowineit2cvJhAOUGyd1fh-2ALh4DvPNpuJ4LdDSuVTVlQUhvCXTqOUN5xERcXegTyVlbx/w331-h400/JEAN%20RABE.jpeg" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JEAN RABE</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><br /><p></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-58573501046005977222024-03-04T15:36:00.000-08:002024-03-04T15:36:45.278-08:00MARCHING IN…AN EBOOK SALE, A BOOK SHOW, A COVER REVEAL<p> <b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hello, Everybody!</span></b></p><div data-setdir="false" dir="ltr" style="outline: none !important;"><div style="outline: none !important;"><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">There’s a lot going on this March with me and Mr. Manfred Magpie, publisher of Magpie Press.</span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TOyfmX-yBVJdkNltzMOnlZ98oA-yCBiqJE1oN7JioXMJ64L1LL9uBpf89CpnE7gZRMBFCSFAmms5P2GKrPYX6ScRbBeQ45AinsSP7nv3I0dOb9OWQhM8A5Mrz-ZG1m2evJZGYW4haIAWtlwdYxBI46Z1xLRPm3uJ3jfoG1_twFn18x3-qvQsDSbPWx72/s1280/MAGPIE%20PRESS%20LOGO.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="938" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TOyfmX-yBVJdkNltzMOnlZ98oA-yCBiqJE1oN7JioXMJ64L1LL9uBpf89CpnE7gZRMBFCSFAmms5P2GKrPYX6ScRbBeQ45AinsSP7nv3I0dOb9OWQhM8A5Mrz-ZG1m2evJZGYW4haIAWtlwdYxBI46Z1xLRPm3uJ3jfoG1_twFn18x3-qvQsDSbPWx72/s320/MAGPIE%20PRESS%20LOGO.jpeg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">First, the eBook edition of one of my Love, Sex, and Pursuit of Happiness Novels, <i style="outline: none !important;">By the Sea: A Comic Novel</i>, goes on sale for 99 minuscule cents on March 11.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEYKFPHaa7xevKUgLkPzSlD0vgFcfzz96XydakgpdhIWBXrLaWSZ57Uvs02K42Hiic3Hth-VVaeZI9VrGTJESbQOAphKZ4O7gxvENss1AJbGotqEN1LozwG4l2bvqqkgg3n7WA_xXWcqJKfzAXAl06G7SVyyEgPbnx6w5thfGV7fDmM_DudS3LTOflQF6/s400/FINALbythesea%20cover%207-9-14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEYKFPHaa7xevKUgLkPzSlD0vgFcfzz96XydakgpdhIWBXrLaWSZ57Uvs02K42Hiic3Hth-VVaeZI9VrGTJESbQOAphKZ4O7gxvENss1AJbGotqEN1LozwG4l2bvqqkgg3n7WA_xXWcqJKfzAXAl06G7SVyyEgPbnx6w5thfGV7fDmM_DudS3LTOflQF6/w266-h400/FINALbythesea%20cover%207-9-14.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div data-setdir="true" dir="" style="outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">A modern comic adult fairy tale with an ensemble cast of Cinderellas.</span><br style="outline: none !important;" /></b></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"> </b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">Instead of a kingdom by the sea, our story takes place in and around a residential hotel by the sea. The architecturally eclectic Briers Hotel is situated on Leech Beach, a not particularly inviting beach, being often fog-bound and always scruffy. But it's the perfect setting for our Cinderellas, male and female, who put up with the scruffiness of life while striving to make it through their various personal seaside fogs. Theater; art; antiques; old movies; sex; more sex; death; fast and slow cars, chicken shit and cow poop; military bearing and erotic emissions—not to mention the wicked witch, the sea serpent by the seashore, the village ogre, the village idiot, and several Prince Charmings—all figure into this merry tale with a multitude of happy endings.</span></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;">SOME REVIEWS</b></span></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“Steven Paul Leiva has written an engaging, thoughtful, and kind book…And what a satisfying book it is! Leiva has built his small world perfectly, and each character is so complete and well thought out that what at first seems disparate pieces fit together perfectly by the end. It’s a hat trick in perfect proportions!”<b style="outline: none !important;">—Jo Graham, author of Black Ships, Hand of Isis, and Stealing Fire.</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“Leiva writes the story with a great deal of depth and perception as he explores the lives, thoughts, and ambitions of each main character...the book’s ending plays upon the they-all-lived-happily-ever-after angle in a quite satisfying but not wholly exaggerated manner.”<b style="outline: none !important;">—Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times.</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“<i style="outline: none !important;">By the Sea</i> is a delightfully engaging story about an eccentric community that resides in the foggy environs of Leech Beach...Leiva deftly interweaves the characters’ past and present to create a vibrant ensemble that is immediately engaging...<i style="outline: none !important;">By the Sea</i> is a light-hearted, clever read.”<b style="outline: none !important;">— <i style="outline: none !important;">Literary Fiction Book Review</i>.</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">March 17</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"> sees the 44</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"> annual return of the Los Angeles Vintage Paperback Collectors Show. </span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0aeEvMxUMMKasNf7p78hH1EuBD05_Up32_XZzYOg-7SD7ur44gZK7kCehzpURpC780ePK7UNN5klOG1_tjvYE5nQTAo6bodttkx5uHfWGVeOQ8e18tbpTNdEIr72qE7eg6wX6h4hyphenhyphentKr0lByNafv4LXbmTkrsPjamYF7u70MTxGhrC78lH52VyakY0qN/s1728/44TH%20PB%20SHOW%20POSTER%202024.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="1296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0aeEvMxUMMKasNf7p78hH1EuBD05_Up32_XZzYOg-7SD7ur44gZK7kCehzpURpC780ePK7UNN5klOG1_tjvYE5nQTAo6bodttkx5uHfWGVeOQ8e18tbpTNdEIr72qE7eg6wX6h4hyphenhyphentKr0lByNafv4LXbmTkrsPjamYF7u70MTxGhrC78lH52VyakY0qN/s320/44TH%20PB%20SHOW%20POSTER%202024.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">For the third year, Manfred Magpie and I will have a table to sell our paperbacks of my books. </span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFq8GkCszrPt6UsZFLpbMOyKh-ZHVOaWcA5VaTt1OCXOdKC7pDI3tHGLXddGyKLJqS2W5vBsq8P4HnpZo80UjU4bWwXJV5QPF52NZbIPFd76329UTb5hakmAuN3lreV0CWUNUbc9UyQDtghmYXvduIuUAJZqNMvjD0hZfGmvZ5liHJ_YcNrAlX2YNpaDS/s2048/AT%20THE%202023%20SHOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFq8GkCszrPt6UsZFLpbMOyKh-ZHVOaWcA5VaTt1OCXOdKC7pDI3tHGLXddGyKLJqS2W5vBsq8P4HnpZo80UjU4bWwXJV5QPF52NZbIPFd76329UTb5hakmAuN3lreV0CWUNUbc9UyQDtghmYXvduIuUAJZqNMvjD0hZfGmvZ5liHJ_YcNrAlX2YNpaDS/w225-h400/AT%20THE%202023%20SHOW.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">They're not vintage, of course, but this show has become so much more than its name suggests. Check it out at </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lavintagepaperbackshow" rel="nofollow" style="color: #467886; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/lavintagepaperbackshow</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">.</span></div><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">And this year, the first ten buyers of at least one of my books will receive a copy of my book of essays, <i style="outline: none !important;">Searching for Ray Bradbury: Writings About the Writer and the Man</i> at no additional cost!</span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegAp9n0UUIvTXCjv7rmrEmhfw-fBowYNiUpqDDrR3_y_BgULzZVGKTozi6fgQzw5R5M90cJ4cYVf0RVOvJvOTN7fB-TpTTJg2NPv473fH3Fl4pPHZPYIrPKnI1rfVn6KaVFO1j3Om8sPUZDWmFcaDgCTU0bnsyeQ5ko1DHYnfyZntM_6t96oRtfveJGjI/s1201/Searching4RayCover-1-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="888" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegAp9n0UUIvTXCjv7rmrEmhfw-fBowYNiUpqDDrR3_y_BgULzZVGKTozi6fgQzw5R5M90cJ4cYVf0RVOvJvOTN7fB-TpTTJg2NPv473fH3Fl4pPHZPYIrPKnI1rfVn6KaVFO1j3Om8sPUZDWmFcaDgCTU0bnsyeQ5ko1DHYnfyZntM_6t96oRtfveJGjI/w296-h400/Searching4RayCover-1-sm.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br /><div data-setdir="true" dir="" style="outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">“Leiva’s personal and deeply moving tribute to his friend shines a loving light upon some little-known aspects of this intricate and deeply passionate man.” </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; outline: none !important;">— David Brin in his Foreword.</b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“Ray Bradbury will be remembered as one of the literary giants of the 20th Century. Leiva’s book is a perfect tribute to the life and works of this great artist.”<b style="outline: none !important;">— Joe Mantegna, actor.</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“Leiva helps us negotiate Ray Bradbury’s transition from a vibrant life to an enduring legacy. His trenchant observations effectively summarize the profound range of Bradbury’s voice.”<b style="outline: none !important;">— Professor Jonathan R. Eller, author of <i style="outline: none !important;">Becoming Ray Bradbury.</i></b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“<i style="outline: none !important;">Searching for Ray Bradbury</i> is a delightful book<b style="outline: none !important;"> — Gary Dalkin, <i style="outline: none !important;">Amazing Stories Magazine</i>.</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“A brisk read, partly because it is a slim volume, but also because of Leiva’s essay writing skill. … Leiva finds the true Bradbury by connecting anew with Bradbury's text.” <b style="outline: none !important;">— Phil Nichols, <i style="outline: none !important;">BradburyMedia blog.</i></b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" data-setdir="true" dir="" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;">AND NOW…A COVER REVEAL!</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">I am finishing up a re-proofing and polishing of my novel, <i style="outline: none !important;">IMP: A Political Fantasia</i>, for release soon. This will be its first time in paperback, as its previous publisher Crossroad Press only put it out as an eBook. The new cover came in this weekend, based on the original cover but re-designed by the fabulous <a href="https://www.facebook.com/juan.j.padron.50?__tn__=-%5DK*F" rel="nofollow" style="color: #467886; outline: none !important;" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Juan José Padrón</span></a>!</span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68MpYifVbAXqPKpoIHdZ3K3MVYzHdbc1zUrazH0udcbjzLO9cpofaxlQB74lOxWfAlgU0eiCygKf6NqhRY479N9tX5noB_ARMi3FzLzRJWvt-d6v6uxKGDYpH5FyGBL-3aNezSZLMZylicgMIHPVO3ojJEm0gbUe8tUGEbGVjM2jilR8eE0kL29ouvHLe/s2700/IMP%20ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68MpYifVbAXqPKpoIHdZ3K3MVYzHdbc1zUrazH0udcbjzLO9cpofaxlQB74lOxWfAlgU0eiCygKf6NqhRY479N9tX5noB_ARMi3FzLzRJWvt-d6v6uxKGDYpH5FyGBL-3aNezSZLMZylicgMIHPVO3ojJEm0gbUe8tUGEbGVjM2jilR8eE0kL29ouvHLe/w266-h400/IMP%20ebook.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /></span></b></div><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><b style="outline: none !important;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sH2pcbU2IU277pnA-doD6_TJGo7D6ZlJnKXJn4u3juE4pfoU-BoV2KDh4Z3FaGI9N3XwTYzfsp3ckgrnM6MEnbzY7j7jtKg5hRon0EEFachPenYxL1QgSPN5K5fr9Zlz8qaOmDGOBVByDwRAoEWCNPaVOrQs0xNxCK-4LFMzBlka1bMHT6vaUjHQYumH/s3954/IMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2776" data-original-width="3954" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sH2pcbU2IU277pnA-doD6_TJGo7D6ZlJnKXJn4u3juE4pfoU-BoV2KDh4Z3FaGI9N3XwTYzfsp3ckgrnM6MEnbzY7j7jtKg5hRon0EEFachPenYxL1QgSPN5K5fr9Zlz8qaOmDGOBVByDwRAoEWCNPaVOrQs0xNxCK-4LFMzBlka1bMHT6vaUjHQYumH/w640-h450/IMP.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b style="outline: none !important;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></b></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"><b style="outline: none !important;">Politics as Unusual!</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">Thomas P. Powell's ascension in politics was both unusual and yet very American. From traffic cop to Vice President of the United States, his climb up the ladder of public service was often due to the push of random acts and not-so-happy accidents—although Thomas held the opinion that it was due solely to his singular innate moral authority. What matters is what's within; that's the Powell political philosophy. Then, on the cusp of his grasping the last rung on the American political ladder, something truly within suddenly appears. A horrible homunculus, an impetuous imp, climbs out of Thomas's right ear to bedevil his nights, confuse his days, and take him on a crazy, wild, nauseating, and nuclear journey. </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">It’s </span><i style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">The West Wing</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">done as an episode of <i style="outline: none !important;">The Twilight Zone.</i></span></p><p align="center" class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“Steven Paul Leiva is a very bad man. His version of U.S. politics Trumps anything the real world has to offer. Hell, you thought the orange one was the only homunculus America had to worry about? You thought wrong. There's always the nuclear option.”<b style="outline: none !important;">—Steven Savile, <i style="outline: none !important;">New York Times </i>&<i style="outline: none !important;"> USA Today</i> Bestselling Author.</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“Leiva is a master wordsmith able to take on any genre or blend them, as in the case of <i style="outline: none !important;">IMP: A Political Fantasia</i>. Once started, I couldn't stop reading. The tale was just long enough yet had me longing to read more of Leiva’s prose. <i style="outline: none !important;">Zoommmmbizzt!</i> I highly recommend this novel. <b style="outline: none !important;">— Jean Rabe, <i style="outline: none !important;">USA Today</i> Bestselling author.</b></span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 2pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;">“The book is a mix of genres, comedy, supernatural, suspense, and drama, with a U.S. presidential setting. Comedy is the overarching content, however, and I was left chuckling along at the behavior and attitude of the main protagonist. It’s a strong story and a very entertaining read. Well done, Mr. Leiva. — <b style="outline: none !important;">5-Star Amazon review by PsychicSnail</b>.</span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; outline: none !important;"> </span></p><p class="ydpf1d49dbfMsoNormal" style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Comic Sans MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cheers to All!</span></p></div></div><div class="ydpa5f5c4f0signature" style="font-family: garamond, "new york", times, serif; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-family: garamond, times, serif; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="clear: both; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: none !important;"><div><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-85330205305074237312024-02-14T07:20:00.000-08:002024-02-14T07:20:00.152-08:00THE RIGHT TIME FOR "RIGHT"<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; text-align: justify;">The first portion of this blog is adapted from the Afterword to </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet; text-align: justify;">Right: A Portrait of Controversy</i></span></b></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">In the early 1970s, I sold major appliances at a discount department store in Southern California called Zodys. I am not kidding about this store’s name; it was indeed called Zodys. </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuuul3c5-kCRtYkaJkZzdlhI-67SqTvObI2gadaOgYb3rG8z8Jrr7bdXh7n7MKmR_oXqR_GfNTZcr792nNyr6bjiuBudBxab21nNzIv6ZbRTpyd38F-UCKMyDndurSdAE3EA7jPb86vik6b3bI24pfJ_dfTqc0_N4HHF6d_WE4Y8-gB79hyphenhyphen_ZB0M_ywpQ/s500/zodys-cxanoga-Park.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="500" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuuul3c5-kCRtYkaJkZzdlhI-67SqTvObI2gadaOgYb3rG8z8Jrr7bdXh7n7MKmR_oXqR_GfNTZcr792nNyr6bjiuBudBxab21nNzIv6ZbRTpyd38F-UCKMyDndurSdAE3EA7jPb86vik6b3bI24pfJ_dfTqc0_N4HHF6d_WE4Y8-gB79hyphenhyphen_ZB0M_ywpQ/w400-h310/zodys-cxanoga-Park.webp" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Why? I don’t think I ever knew. Nor did it matter as long as the paycheck cleared. In any case, there was a chain of Zodys Discount Department stores throughout the Southwest United States. And Michigan, for some aberrant reason.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Occasionally, my duties took me to another nearby Zodys to pick up some items not in stock at the location where I toiled. It was always a surreal experience. The interior of each Zodys was laid out in the exact same way, with each department in the exact same location in each store. But each store, of course, had its particular way of displaying goods and decorating departments, not to mention a different staff than the ones I knew running around in their awful little blue vests serving customers.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">So, I would walk into this store, so familiar yet so strange, and my head would spin for a moment, my equilibrium would be thrown off, and the theme music from <i>The Twilight Zone</i> would trickle through my mind. </span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQK_suZk7eDSZ9g-jHWytl6_A0wcQCHke6tvUSQ4gRcPbY1wIdo0hYgvv5bEA375jN5ORk1HOeZmAYSWbFzPREolGrXaniXOU5pe98jzCDAFXW3bUzsgesqOcimuAz0Uvt0_zqNY2nSfvnrwoJPOjtKLSgShHxeJoTtkyvUEEPO4QDLbZau7uA9Q2UYmvG/s610/behind-the-scenes-from-season-1-episode-34-of-the-twilight-v0-g74ufusddxbb1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQK_suZk7eDSZ9g-jHWytl6_A0wcQCHke6tvUSQ4gRcPbY1wIdo0hYgvv5bEA375jN5ORk1HOeZmAYSWbFzPREolGrXaniXOU5pe98jzCDAFXW3bUzsgesqOcimuAz0Uvt0_zqNY2nSfvnrwoJPOjtKLSgShHxeJoTtkyvUEEPO4QDLbZau7uA9Q2UYmvG/w325-h400/behind-the-scenes-from-season-1-episode-34-of-the-twilight-v0-g74ufusddxbb1.webp" width="325" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">As I said, it was surreal, disconcerting, and, at least momentarily, discombobulating.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I hope this is how people feel when they start reading my latest novel, </span><i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Right: A Portrait of Controversy</span></i><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">, </i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">which takes place in a 1980s that never happened, even if the landscape seems familiar. And the controversy that I endeavor to portray certainly never happened, nor could it have happened. And it will certainly never happen today or in the future. I hope.</span></span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Why have I discombobulated the reader with this ahistorical novel? Outside of the fact that I love the word discombobulate. </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFMjx1wSipBLlBDaY_SzT9GiKCRuykZk_KGbls5nK7fua6HH569Ayn6YNb9TGVN9d8fFtl0PbXVFN2a4VYMruAjhyphenhyphenv2BKTLEHtP12O9pyC5bn9c_i-_u-m4QB2LJd3lfXuvG0fJb22MKzmpYEV_TIIkT005ctmZm-wlmyCJsbcpawQocP53kTixAvf0hQ/s1664/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-09%20at%2010.06.24%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1664" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFMjx1wSipBLlBDaY_SzT9GiKCRuykZk_KGbls5nK7fua6HH569Ayn6YNb9TGVN9d8fFtl0PbXVFN2a4VYMruAjhyphenhyphenv2BKTLEHtP12O9pyC5bn9c_i-_u-m4QB2LJd3lfXuvG0fJb22MKzmpYEV_TIIkT005ctmZm-wlmyCJsbcpawQocP53kTixAvf0hQ/w400-h136/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-09%20at%2010.06.24%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">The clue is in the novel’s subtitle: <b>A</b> Portrait of Controversy, not: Portrait of <b>A</b> Controversy.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">If I had decided to portray an actual controversy from the 1980s or thereabout, or a current controversy, then readers would come to the novel with, in most cases, their minds already made up, their positions set, their absolute faith that they have chosen the <i>right</i> side of the controversy. </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bS2FzFJ4uebM2c-loXmpwEgszopy5-mvMqaZ72JFjfbTI-FcUEdmpNLsbd-IgvUb08oBMB_xlysLSZH6vzlGDZ6SgVkxfzs6vn7kuKGf6oDQDeydyHoJm0TtJeIZ7obF4N0-l_kubPaN4kLGETZPZIuCdqjTYyt3IwSwutkkIi2pCAuehsL3oZaQG2Vb/s840/download.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="840" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bS2FzFJ4uebM2c-loXmpwEgszopy5-mvMqaZ72JFjfbTI-FcUEdmpNLsbd-IgvUb08oBMB_xlysLSZH6vzlGDZ6SgVkxfzs6vn7kuKGf6oDQDeydyHoJm0TtJeIZ7obF4N0-l_kubPaN4kLGETZPZIuCdqjTYyt3IwSwutkkIi2pCAuehsL3oZaQG2Vb/w400-h271/download.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Therefore, it would not be a portrait but a Rorschach test.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Creating a controversy that didn’t exist then and doesn’t now and yet does have certain familiar elements was the only way I could attempt to portray Controversy as a thing itself and not the questions the controversy is about.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I must leave it up to the reader how lifelike—or abstractly revealing—the portrait is.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Right: A Portrait of Controversy </i>publishes February 20<sup>th</sup> via my imprint Magpie Press. It will be available in eBook and trade paperback on Amazon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br /></span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Right: A Portrait of Controversy </i>is the thirteenth (thank goodness I’m not superstitious!) book I have published since 2005. But it is not the thirteenth book I have written. Indeed, it is the first book and novel I wrote. I started it in 1980, writing in longhand on yellow legal pads in my single apartment, usually most days from midnight to two or three. During the day I worked at my one-man publicity shop in Hollywood with mainly small animation studios as clients. At this time, I was also transitioning from publicity to producing, having just sold to <i>Star Wars</i> producer Gary Kurtz the idea of making an animated feature film based on Will Eisner’s <i>The Spirit </i>comic book. </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBCHN5ICAb8AoZLfWwLQGrz6OyJXwha32KaG0SLpoWyaK2dJDaam5qeB2F44sX7jLgTwUk9tNa1m2J8PZbzIJScf8r43DrpgVMkImQWxmntVKOdhTRM4IdyxJ3sJUy_56KWid-aJYIYrJLKoG6XDWEkjgBNSSwAR0EQVRaRCVRBQbcIUOY2fOK487k1Sc/s600/3979230-will_eisner_the_spirit_s.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBCHN5ICAb8AoZLfWwLQGrz6OyJXwha32KaG0SLpoWyaK2dJDaam5qeB2F44sX7jLgTwUk9tNa1m2J8PZbzIJScf8r43DrpgVMkImQWxmntVKOdhTRM4IdyxJ3sJUy_56KWid-aJYIYrJLKoG6XDWEkjgBNSSwAR0EQVRaRCVRBQbcIUOY2fOK487k1Sc/w266-h400/3979230-will_eisner_the_spirit_s.webp" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">It was a project conceived of by a young Brad Bird, a recent grad of the Cal Arts animation program and an escapee from Disney Animation. I made a deal with Gary for Brad to write the screenplay and direct the film. Brad, Gary, I, and animator Jerry Rees formed a company, Visions Animation + Filmworks to produce the film. Gary set me the task of negotiating with Eisner for the rights, which we concluded successfully. All of which was very exciting. Unfortunately, we could never get the powers-that-be in the major studios to see what a revolutionary film this would be, and so it never became. Incredible(s), right? Well, that’s show biz!<br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I finished <i>Right</i>, I believe, around mid to late 1981. By that time Gary had hired me to be his Director of Animation Development for his company Kinetographs, and to be the associate producer on an animated film adaptation of Winsor McCay’s classic early 20<sup>th</sup>-century comic strip <i>Little Nemo in Slumberland. </i></span></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbZCC3Em3yvxhYVr_-EPLOx0Ur50iOSLYTz0F7Q009ZbNoVbrIJjf_WzhyphenhyphenytPHC5HLiFgrrbbGptVEgyoSvyX0KcKo0XPkJt6nAE5mNkY6jJIkmMULQEujeyeK4o53TMwwTnuw8qukanNLjsFMZHQ9uXstB-0EXiR8QSpJuy_89tUGCNSNUTK5l2fV-dt/s522/1917517_385958363461_644906_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="298" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbZCC3Em3yvxhYVr_-EPLOx0Ur50iOSLYTz0F7Q009ZbNoVbrIJjf_WzhyphenhyphenytPHC5HLiFgrrbbGptVEgyoSvyX0KcKo0XPkJt6nAE5mNkY6jJIkmMULQEujeyeK4o53TMwwTnuw8qukanNLjsFMZHQ9uXstB-0EXiR8QSpJuy_89tUGCNSNUTK5l2fV-dt/w229-h400/1917517_385958363461_644906_n.jpeg" width="229" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">As work on this was more than full time, and took me to Tokyo for a year, the large file of yellow legal pad pages of </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Right </i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">was stuffed in a file cabinet. And then later packed in my bags when I moved to Tokyo.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I did not move alone. My assistant and fiancée Amanda Martin moved with me. During the traditional Japanese New Year’s celebration <i>shōgatsu</i>, TMS, the Japanese studio we were producing <i>Nemo</i> with, shut down for several weeks, and Amanda and I took the opportunity to travel to Hawaii where her father lived and tie the knot (or lei, as the case may be).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P3OfqVRomcUc9z7DpcPcJydijdgw-EMI0bh5HDgC5r_sOCPt4OJkEhb1dV3Ls0tVTQR0NWOvYoXIVKcGDXsh7VjMyS22mm7dRLR5BqvuBqlVzYkrk1DV5isN-o5xdJTKSq92wEkrvOuAsROVDOCgMo0To0gqkSit3M1t_Tei6NXixMcf86rXELNQN_iR/s511/WEDDING%20PIC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="511" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6P3OfqVRomcUc9z7DpcPcJydijdgw-EMI0bh5HDgC5r_sOCPt4OJkEhb1dV3Ls0tVTQR0NWOvYoXIVKcGDXsh7VjMyS22mm7dRLR5BqvuBqlVzYkrk1DV5isN-o5xdJTKSq92wEkrvOuAsROVDOCgMo0To0gqkSit3M1t_Tei6NXixMcf86rXELNQN_iR/w400-h274/WEDDING%20PIC.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Unfortunately, the twain between the American and Japanese artists on our production did not meet, and I decided to leave the production when my contract was up. But Amanda and I were fortunate that we were allowed a month’s grace before leaving Japan to relax and travel a bit in Japan, a country we retain a love for. Also, during this month, I pulled out the yellow legal pad pages of </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Right </i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">and typed it up into a nice, neat manuscript.</span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q_f7hxpTNhOy__r2eulSSKbgAHa2xCuZ4rJTI92OIncIQGW3sKcPa1TbPmtxUXLmL_o_uuoSnYsXIkRYo7wV2CMgOOCbhwIPvweBbcRL_DxxEAyxOSIj4rd6vtRC-i14B7qe_CGZnDo7XQCYyg67cDOQCKnrcccvlZzV8Ah8SLrlC7UnQw-koPD_jbGn/s1080/ME%20&%20RIGHT%20MS%20IN%20TOKYO%201984.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1080" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q_f7hxpTNhOy__r2eulSSKbgAHa2xCuZ4rJTI92OIncIQGW3sKcPa1TbPmtxUXLmL_o_uuoSnYsXIkRYo7wV2CMgOOCbhwIPvweBbcRL_DxxEAyxOSIj4rd6vtRC-i14B7qe_CGZnDo7XQCYyg67cDOQCKnrcccvlZzV8Ah8SLrlC7UnQw-koPD_jbGn/w400-h281/ME%20&%20RIGHT%20MS%20IN%20TOKYO%201984.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Returning to Los Angeles, the first order of business was to settle into a new residence and look for work in the film industry. This was done and over the years I worked for several companies as an executive, including as president of Chuck Jones Productions— </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucUgk_c-YmijUtl4c7kQZGDBxNYbEFfo_MwqHOdnMvQ4wSnGCfSgrtys2LoAtwKsrv_Tprb1h9ntZcETIWPOtMl8Ax2lXXqkaxcTDffdLwSui9Ij3t1RCbth__Gnkw634XqxZ_ndLM2B6uZwziDZOGcjpImt6ssS3Yt6_9pf2fx9Y41sg7Ygo7Ai7kq2D/s960/CJP%20BIZ%20CARD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="960" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucUgk_c-YmijUtl4c7kQZGDBxNYbEFfo_MwqHOdnMvQ4wSnGCfSgrtys2LoAtwKsrv_Tprb1h9ntZcETIWPOtMl8Ax2lXXqkaxcTDffdLwSui9Ij3t1RCbth__Gnkw634XqxZ_ndLM2B6uZwziDZOGcjpImt6ssS3Yt6_9pf2fx9Y41sg7Ygo7Ai7kq2D/w400-h214/CJP%20BIZ%20CARD.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">—And later a partner with Rees in a production company. </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSI1udrFu59WhKN4vTWunW1AL7XEUvmGKWYX94Ay2dC4EPXH5JO4lBDowAlp0Fbwj97VOWVb86p5rU5GBB9qsAlmsi3vUHjIuDgwTO3lnW1Zh_jmwQ0AO8RJsfKI7s4tzIGuNECHnrHuuXBw4dwzm55MiOYQXK_-JxVA5SWFwUWnXBuhOi447EcqyhIcr-/s1092/R:L%20BIZ%20CARD%20SJ%20BIZ%20CARD%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1092" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSI1udrFu59WhKN4vTWunW1AL7XEUvmGKWYX94Ay2dC4EPXH5JO4lBDowAlp0Fbwj97VOWVb86p5rU5GBB9qsAlmsi3vUHjIuDgwTO3lnW1Zh_jmwQ0AO8RJsfKI7s4tzIGuNECHnrHuuXBw4dwzm55MiOYQXK_-JxVA5SWFwUWnXBuhOi447EcqyhIcr-/w400-h226/R:L%20BIZ%20CARD%20SJ%20BIZ%20CARD%201.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Our first project was to produce for Richard Zanuck and MGM an animated feature based on Betty Boop. Although we opened a studio and started pre-production, three months in when Alan Ladd, Jr., the CEO of MGM was fired, the production was canceled. Hollywood is often not just the business of show but the business of disappointment.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Having a pay-or-play deal with MGM, I had some nice downtime while Rees and I worked towards another gig, co-writing a screenplay, which we eventually sold to Columbia Pictures. This also turned out to be a disappointment as it was never made. BUT, one day, in a flash, I got an idea for a novel. This became <i>Blood is Pretty</i>, a satiric Hollywood thriller, if you can imagine such a thing. </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGRHxHXjD6VJi8NNTqDQf2mIZnSs48TJVW7odzWc3cy7PNs_hSWG30y_KJJLUjNUhBsCExqDKxtmKcmGeUoxxCN4I3vhUGEb8vV3mVZYKR936-EVBOSnujx5M480cobemM80Ki7X2oIhl5LvtPmytKw8qozjJV1hDydNsnSig9tieHXXaXT0S4wAb_8yk/s1500/BIP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGRHxHXjD6VJi8NNTqDQf2mIZnSs48TJVW7odzWc3cy7PNs_hSWG30y_KJJLUjNUhBsCExqDKxtmKcmGeUoxxCN4I3vhUGEb8vV3mVZYKR936-EVBOSnujx5M480cobemM80Ki7X2oIhl5LvtPmytKw8qozjJV1hDydNsnSig9tieHXXaXT0S4wAb_8yk/w266-h400/BIP.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">But then you don’t have to imagine it, because I wrote it, and you can get it on Amazon!</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">The day after I finished writing <i>Blood is Pretty, </i>we got a call from our agent that he had set up a meeting with producer-director Ivan Reitman (<i>Ghostbusters</i> and the like). Reitman was producing a live-action/animation Michael Jordan/Bugs Bunny feature that was sort of based on the popular Nike Air Jordan commercials. And he was having a hard time finding an animation team. This, of course, was <i>Space Jam.</i></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9xjWZz6QPSLro2StB8c7Ecru-lcOUxAPtsXwYYHOzhzX-9Vzj63LiMWTlDZr5yNhnUJ17SmeusFNJQTN29iPq5JtH4wJsqjk5yqO6XJgWU4pSL0A4X20xfqlDq9FKWlvwSTmnSEXzB94hJywXwvYXRem_BOpBqJyAQivgJPjBJ6lqgN-au5hjr1Dic7G/s1066/R:L%20BIZ%20CARD%20SJ%20BIZ%20CARD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="1066" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9xjWZz6QPSLro2StB8c7Ecru-lcOUxAPtsXwYYHOzhzX-9Vzj63LiMWTlDZr5yNhnUJ17SmeusFNJQTN29iPq5JtH4wJsqjk5yqO6XJgWU4pSL0A4X20xfqlDq9FKWlvwSTmnSEXzB94hJywXwvYXRem_BOpBqJyAQivgJPjBJ6lqgN-au5hjr1Dic7G/w400-h221/R:L%20BIZ%20CARD%20SJ%20BIZ%20CARD.jpeg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><br /> </i></span><p></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">After <i>Space Jam </i>I got an idea for another novel, which I titled <i>Hollywood is an All-Volunteer Army, </i>something I used to often say to complaining people in the industry. Not that I didn’t have my complaints.</span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTCh1SebNnsN7EmGguFrhEHI09NZIqX6bkjoisUcCgERhyphenhyphenFeYzEpAA1Ef0OoCHee5m_6AEgr5Q1GcWscsu2hFI87tA56jmGOXrnC9gNpErTzDBp_87jEudJfDpmoMvnW2le4TaEOMyJYArAgr9-55ohyphenhypheneukx1udN63SBK2gFVY47hq9CJHfCvblaZA8bk/s1500/HOLLYWOOD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTCh1SebNnsN7EmGguFrhEHI09NZIqX6bkjoisUcCgERhyphenhyphenFeYzEpAA1Ef0OoCHee5m_6AEgr5Q1GcWscsu2hFI87tA56jmGOXrnC9gNpErTzDBp_87jEudJfDpmoMvnW2le4TaEOMyJYArAgr9-55ohyphenhypheneukx1udN63SBK2gFVY47hq9CJHfCvblaZA8bk/w266-h400/HOLLYWOOD.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Blood is Pretty</i> and <i>Hollywood is an All-Volunteer Army </i>feature as the hero The Fixxer, a character inspired, you might not be surprised to learn, by The Saint, James Bond, and even Bulldog Drummond. Having suffered more than my share of Hollywood disappointments in both situations and people, the writing of my Fixxer novels was wonderfully cathartic. And damn fun. And reminded me that the writing of prose fiction is what I set out to do as a young man and was what I most loved. I’ve been doing it ever since.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">But what happened to <i>Right</i>? Well, <i>Blood is Pretty</i> was published. Then I was contracted to write a novelization of an indie family movie, <i>The 12 Dogs of Christmas</i>, that I wrote the original screen story for.</span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1SB2ItPdvTfMNwDi5EJhjTCNlYlk11Nhk6bJTTDPhUeOtAGC2LAEP-CapfwKaQ21FEzTlsDYbi6d9kgkxQxnwkxWpRpR5LxpdsFSXIwP7hjgprA-p2sgg0gnCePu0aO8ZnGiy9bqbLwCcsmCigidwXB6Vp1MKNHTXLNFypujsuRMSVHxEfMAOKxc79_O/s1500/91IhQvChhYL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1083" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1SB2ItPdvTfMNwDi5EJhjTCNlYlk11Nhk6bJTTDPhUeOtAGC2LAEP-CapfwKaQ21FEzTlsDYbi6d9kgkxQxnwkxWpRpR5LxpdsFSXIwP7hjgprA-p2sgg0gnCePu0aO8ZnGiy9bqbLwCcsmCigidwXB6Vp1MKNHTXLNFypujsuRMSVHxEfMAOKxc79_O/w289-h400/91IhQvChhYL._SL1500_.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Then </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Traveling in Space</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> (which I started writing during the three months of pre-production on Betty Boop) was published, and the ball was rolling from there. </span></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPSFwp4TxW4K1Zsay_eUohlJprkP_2dtao8HGxuKP_SLySDZ6_3_oc614IsBPFNe7YxuXxgG2WwDPDiqS2hNO3pVumXjb9q75qgLninuS5raLcQZZNd4yRmS0Cm-CD6WzkImq5e2Ks5hOwDsqwM4LEMlb5Per_j4OEDASPi3QA6K_J40-uBFV7WDpPWJN/s1500/TIS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPSFwp4TxW4K1Zsay_eUohlJprkP_2dtao8HGxuKP_SLySDZ6_3_oc614IsBPFNe7YxuXxgG2WwDPDiqS2hNO3pVumXjb9q75qgLninuS5raLcQZZNd4yRmS0Cm-CD6WzkImq5e2Ks5hOwDsqwM4LEMlb5Per_j4OEDASPi3QA6K_J40-uBFV7WDpPWJN/w266-h400/TIS.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Eventually, I took back my novels that had been published by others and, for total control over my work, I decided to publish all my work under my own imprint, Magpie Press. </span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06hkHz7yCCwYpKE41c1n5LezPtb-eNakqPJVPk-vX-xTCq50-44i87-2dqVbLGbH59e_98RH4kNaR6oh5D4vJIZl3hHcRzhaHO8aPffl09yBfYCG4nlukgBq24cyS9HKOLCtPbCsZ2HPM-NGDGfHVEi83FynZgFh6GZWFCdHYCVAaGAP3c3mFmRcRBuuA/s1280/MAGPIE%20PRESS%20LOGO.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="938" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06hkHz7yCCwYpKE41c1n5LezPtb-eNakqPJVPk-vX-xTCq50-44i87-2dqVbLGbH59e_98RH4kNaR6oh5D4vJIZl3hHcRzhaHO8aPffl09yBfYCG4nlukgBq24cyS9HKOLCtPbCsZ2HPM-NGDGfHVEi83FynZgFh6GZWFCdHYCVAaGAP3c3mFmRcRBuuA/w294-h400/MAGPIE%20PRESS%20LOGO.jpeg" width="294" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Which meant, besides publishing new novels, re-proofing and polishing all my past novels. Time-consuming, to say the least. My champion in all this was and is author Jean Rabe who made the same decision for her own work, including her great Piper Blackwell Mysteries series.</span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacB3fN1fVvu-ddGhAnGjFf_5SSU6PCn_cnFuJAiIlCO_7StU_sUfoL67sQoLZfRWe6IHZD9_ydXQFOkSYi-te76PI4IZuZT_DjklXZwAn7v1lrAg6KD4kOdDIBY_zzPWHTVIO5n86eecUDHu5lJJh3vMCZ2Z-CpBJTFQHHaqO_lMj0GMc8uS1Xps7SdTJ/s982/JEAN%20RABE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="812" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacB3fN1fVvu-ddGhAnGjFf_5SSU6PCn_cnFuJAiIlCO_7StU_sUfoL67sQoLZfRWe6IHZD9_ydXQFOkSYi-te76PI4IZuZT_DjklXZwAn7v1lrAg6KD4kOdDIBY_zzPWHTVIO5n86eecUDHu5lJJh3vMCZ2Z-CpBJTFQHHaqO_lMj0GMc8uS1Xps7SdTJ/w331-h400/JEAN%20RABE.jpeg" width="331" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I was down to just one more of my previously published novels to prepare for Magpie Press when I suddenly got curious about the long-shelved <i>Right. </i>Should I read it after thirty-four years to see if I should publish it? Jean said, YES! Do it! So, I did and decided it was worth doing so, after proofing and polishing. I changed nothing in the plot or characters but did smooth out the prose.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">And so here it is. First to be written, thirteenth to be published. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitB9cCVpoWR7ARCHqCb14YZpp4dK0ERrck6fFnqL7Q-zVMeun0Z7BgtTF6eOAXzddP1kEyIA-YKS1jUNdciZMGdB-TB9lXGeY9K_4kCxTWyrPs-kBVWlZ71RzPTP4q9X-lxEKdVpQyeQzierYXDNSpJ_dsYcV2iYbMA86e-sO7ucAlg5G3SODTEt35trzf/s2700/RIGHT%20ebook%20cover%202-6-24.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitB9cCVpoWR7ARCHqCb14YZpp4dK0ERrck6fFnqL7Q-zVMeun0Z7BgtTF6eOAXzddP1kEyIA-YKS1jUNdciZMGdB-TB9lXGeY9K_4kCxTWyrPs-kBVWlZ71RzPTP4q9X-lxEKdVpQyeQzierYXDNSpJ_dsYcV2iYbMA86e-sO7ucAlg5G3SODTEt35trzf/w266-h400/RIGHT%20ebook%20cover%202-6-24.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">It was quite an adventure to commune with the me that was in my thirties. I could see where much of what I wrote was inspired by personal experiences growing up in the 1960s, a time of many controversies. And especially by a certain incident in college when I was rushed from campus by the police as I column I wrote in the college newspaper had inflamed a segment of the student body, who then inflamed stacks of the paper in the campus firepit and called for my blood.</span></div><div style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Yes, that incident made it into <i>Right: A Portrait of Controversy.<br /></i></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">You can check out and purchase </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Right: A Portrait of Controversy</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> on Amazon as either an eBook or a trade paperback <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Right-Controversy-Steven-Paul-Leiva-ebook/dp/B0CV36HXNR?ref_=ast_author_dp&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.84vFKo9LVctNL-943nbOymkZzWPvN6DBRN8iA_26eiqZfAuxidJzVa_eTjjnJ9xPdQR3-C20F7KZtfc9jItLfYaz058e0wa6qOWDyxy7G8Llu7isXUW8pUYMDZWIgz9RI3ZDtEv-6sDyiJKiClcJf1uldepUe0xj-ERtgRQxGHtX_gyLWF45CsGHRayB4L_Hq1_9AkItQu71T-A8zDkL9LjM2QCvv4xlSVY_7Fp9Q38.O5u41R47YC4GvayJZqTZkqUtJb0R7o3nqWQDfHBIBAA&dib_tag=AUTHOR" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">You can check out all my books on my Amazon page <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001JS27EO?ingress=0&visitId=d9efd741-d0ea-410d-80e7-8c97f2f2bf1b&ref_=ap_rdr" target="_blank">HERE</a> or on the MY BOOK page on this blog <a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html" target="_blank">HERE<br /></a></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Cheers to all!</span></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-44867548283088709722024-02-07T07:44:00.000-08:002024-02-07T07:44:15.127-08:00RIGHT = MY NEW NOVEL RELEASES FEBUARY 20, 2024<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinF6ffsikCxrqzzhaWkUxSagv6YVVJQFh-1nmZZP-OGlC88Zx2APo-lPWs8eH3ij9ygdx8zUJcGNDVIk_rzuY2HHPg1PL5Ya7ruxWkQYzC4XC_ZvvpHhe57ScxB-ei_hRenkWfNpAqI3Etn3oRxDiDjKWEzz5PAuvqFC_mWq0yNvk0qrrGuBdJoeQpzjR4/s1960/Screen%20Shot%202020-06-24%20at%206.41.36%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1960" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinF6ffsikCxrqzzhaWkUxSagv6YVVJQFh-1nmZZP-OGlC88Zx2APo-lPWs8eH3ij9ygdx8zUJcGNDVIk_rzuY2HHPg1PL5Ya7ruxWkQYzC4XC_ZvvpHhe57ScxB-ei_hRenkWfNpAqI3Etn3oRxDiDjKWEzz5PAuvqFC_mWq0yNvk0qrrGuBdJoeQpzjR4/w640-h296/Screen%20Shot%202020-06-24%20at%206.41.36%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Hello, Everybody!</span><p></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: garamond, "new york", times, serif; font-size: 24px; outline: none !important;"><div style="outline: none !important;"><span id="yiv6059492294ydpa1697e56docs-internal-guid-f818c9c8-7fff-eae6-881a-00014ff5dde5" style="outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: inherit; font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: inherit; font-size: medium; outline: none !important;">I'm happy to announce that my latest novel from Magpie Press, RIGHT: A PORTRAIT OF CONTROVERSY will be published on February 20th in both paperback and ebook editions. And right now you can pre-order the ebook from Amazon for only $2.99. Come February 21st the price will rise to $4.99.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: inherit; font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important; vertical-align: baseline;">Amazon ebook: </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/256zjrkx" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #196ad4; outline: none !important;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important; vertical-align: baseline;">http://tinyurl.com/256zjrkx</span></a></span></p><span style="background-color: inherit; font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; outline: none !important;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: inherit; font-size: medium; outline: none !important;">We’ve made a change to the cover so that it would read better in the thumbnail versions. And here it is!</span></span></p><br style="outline: none !important;" /><span style="outline: none !important; width: 50%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhFDJPnx9rLYR-pVl8QShSSeistYLkbT_xo0qbGzaXsFOLv-ZVqIt4VpGRT9gt3Zv1XZ7ONci1rPr7JuDR9Wn45WIk93dCEYqoafjR1xv_Kfm8-w5JLYdW4ToOn6lzfKS0GeiBHieEqNVM1E9ngaCfgwT_iWUOkZtIuVJUAxaXRVxnLdm0WdlKfEOwGoY/s2700/RIGHT%20ebook%20cover%202-6-24.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhFDJPnx9rLYR-pVl8QShSSeistYLkbT_xo0qbGzaXsFOLv-ZVqIt4VpGRT9gt3Zv1XZ7ONci1rPr7JuDR9Wn45WIk93dCEYqoafjR1xv_Kfm8-w5JLYdW4ToOn6lzfKS0GeiBHieEqNVM1E9ngaCfgwT_iWUOkZtIuVJUAxaXRVxnLdm0WdlKfEOwGoY/w426-h640/RIGHT%20ebook%20cover%202-6-24.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="img-preview-wrapper" style="outline: none !important;"><br /><span class="img-dl-btn" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6); border-radius: 2px; border: 1px solid rgb(130, 140, 147); opacity: 0.0001; outline: none !important; position: absolute;"><button class="c27KHO0_n b_0 M_0 i_0 I_T y_jyw3a A_6EqO c1AVi73_6FsP r_P C_q cvhIH6_T P_eo6" data-test-id="icon-btn-download" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; appearance: none; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: "YahooSans VF", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: none !important; padding: 4px;" tabindex="-1" title="Download" type="button"><span class="D_F ab_C gl_C W_6D6F" style="align-items: center; display: flex; justify-content: center; outline: none !important; width: 20px;"><svg class="D_X W_6LEV H_6LEV cdPFi_ZkbNhI cZW7ROP_n en_0 cvhIH6_T" viewbox="0 0 20 20"><path d="M16.8 13.5c-.4 0-.8.3-.8.8v1.2H4v-1.3c0-.4-.3-.7-.7-.7s-.8.3-.8.8v2c0 .4.3.7.8.7H17c.4 0 .5-.3.5-.7v-2c0-.5-.3-.8-.7-.8zM9.5 13.1c.3.2.7.2.9 0l3.9-3.6c.3-.3.3-.7 0-1-.1-.1-.3-.2-.5-.2l-2.3.5V3.1c0-.3-.3-.6-.6-.6H9.1c-.3 0-.6.3-.6.6v5.7l-2.3-.5c-.2 0-.3 0-.5.2-.3.3-.3.7 0 1l3.8 3.6z"></path></svg></span></button></span></div></span><br style="outline: none !important;" /><br style="outline: none !important;" />And, the paperback cover</span></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAIb5tYGHIa6D_T1cbvrPOaT4lx66dgX-gO3s-PNQfVcWjzlj9i29rE8D4zok5SzYzZ_BDIFZSefE6au467z-6VySJQJkUHbiWVSKLNXrQ0q70wkZ_0J7ct_4C0XpIZDy4AUjigOIoZUMVmBHX58G0oVW9az3qVPJ-dQ4jAXw3zy4iL1xUdkxmoL3VAkv/s2442/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%202.44.36%E2%80%AFPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1714" data-original-width="2442" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAIb5tYGHIa6D_T1cbvrPOaT4lx66dgX-gO3s-PNQfVcWjzlj9i29rE8D4zok5SzYzZ_BDIFZSefE6au467z-6VySJQJkUHbiWVSKLNXrQ0q70wkZ_0J7ct_4C0XpIZDy4AUjigOIoZUMVmBHX58G0oVW9az3qVPJ-dQ4jAXw3zy4iL1xUdkxmoL3VAkv/w640-h450/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%202.44.36%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: garamond, "new york", times, serif; font-size: 24px; outline: none !important;"><div style="outline: none !important;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333px; outline: none !important;">And here’s a few teaser graphics just for the marketing hell of it!</span><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1E4E8ChyArcswMNwEKXoaxuRVQ4r_LXwtSURahY5jpZ2IgK0VRVEQ074wySiWaPfnR_6z_zcppEZNqkMYKm25l31oXb-lYC6tkhrUEolWC5v7wsGgbjzTI7Rbgw6Eu1af1Exy__nIchK_usCvYcQ9GX2RTCqphy1hdILdKtzysX55ytECGe0iCevhMXq/s2132/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2010.24.00%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="2132" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1E4E8ChyArcswMNwEKXoaxuRVQ4r_LXwtSURahY5jpZ2IgK0VRVEQ074wySiWaPfnR_6z_zcppEZNqkMYKm25l31oXb-lYC6tkhrUEolWC5v7wsGgbjzTI7Rbgw6Eu1af1Exy__nIchK_usCvYcQ9GX2RTCqphy1hdILdKtzysX55ytECGe0iCevhMXq/w640-h274/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2010.24.00%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzHzuOfPLBMm83u2zPYlcs7I9m9Oil_Ule6SSj-lwbmigmKyFrYQlL5mxRiwOl9hdGvFG4ROb1_u3OEQvD3WbFxQArYM8tjCexs3ozbZDwWcV1tU-02CGLOTbrAH_zFCdhj0D3PZ-UFjchGow8Y31XZsdO1jtYbmcKQSCM4YbmM7JG9djgL61IJ7f_h7D/s1268/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2010.41.34%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="1154" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzHzuOfPLBMm83u2zPYlcs7I9m9Oil_Ule6SSj-lwbmigmKyFrYQlL5mxRiwOl9hdGvFG4ROb1_u3OEQvD3WbFxQArYM8tjCexs3ozbZDwWcV1tU-02CGLOTbrAH_zFCdhj0D3PZ-UFjchGow8Y31XZsdO1jtYbmcKQSCM4YbmM7JG9djgL61IJ7f_h7D/w582-h640/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2010.41.34%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="582" /></a></div><br /><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY31a05sFtlFKzSrAT-0l8LvOoTtouOFROQxCkqSvnBz2ExE45_QJ9p9yg8DoeXrMijoVX4vx58co_eR0rI4oezUOuaeei38fZmThvk1PSvguKOYQnvP8hvBByVDEq4_xeEcE1LawWd48E2Ze1wtyMpXqUR8aEu9prru3OcgtGSKd4D4fn9-6IlZ5aYTe/s1906/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2011.31.22%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1906" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY31a05sFtlFKzSrAT-0l8LvOoTtouOFROQxCkqSvnBz2ExE45_QJ9p9yg8DoeXrMijoVX4vx58co_eR0rI4oezUOuaeei38fZmThvk1PSvguKOYQnvP8hvBByVDEq4_xeEcE1LawWd48E2Ze1wtyMpXqUR8aEu9prru3OcgtGSKd4D4fn9-6IlZ5aYTe/w640-h426/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2011.31.22%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: garamond, "new york", times, serif; font-size: 24px; outline: none !important;"><div style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-NNHHMLDnyRzr5naJqs3TC-hevbBmbNejszeD1rk3kkXj03Dc6oK03_wLfvpMaGPxuq3-51HXYB_hSK5J_eAPkX3f7TAZ4vzMpAFCToupmStfh71E7cBYVrgunSRgx2QBHNtYJG6zT_YUgO4P3rH0hMTlOePHTYeFUcl8KyQQ2w4RoQWBYYDZKAawDYI/s2479/JUST%20WHO%20IS%20RIGHT%3F.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="2479" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-NNHHMLDnyRzr5naJqs3TC-hevbBmbNejszeD1rk3kkXj03Dc6oK03_wLfvpMaGPxuq3-51HXYB_hSK5J_eAPkX3f7TAZ4vzMpAFCToupmStfh71E7cBYVrgunSRgx2QBHNtYJG6zT_YUgO4P3rH0hMTlOePHTYeFUcl8KyQQ2w4RoQWBYYDZKAawDYI/w640-h282/JUST%20WHO%20IS%20RIGHT%3F.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="outline: none !important;">And from the back cover</div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><br /></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><p class="p1" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: center;"><b>RIGHT — An Ahistorical Novel</b></p><p class="p2" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> </p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In a 1980s America different from our own, both familiar and not, Congress passed and President Henshaw signed the Birth Cessation Act. Once it became law, no one would be allowed to have a child for 25 years, any woman under 24 weeks pregnant was required to have an immediate abortion, and all men were called up to report for a vasectomy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“Conscious regulation of human numbers must be achieved.” Dr. Paul R. Ehrlich wrote in his 1968 bestseller, <i>The Population Bomb. </i>By the early 80s, the government had statistical projections that population growth was outpacing the available resources needed for all in America to live a comfortable and secure life. A situation that would inevitably lead to the chaos and violence of extreme civil unrest.</p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Most Americans, liking comfort and security, supported the government’s action. Most, but not all. And those who didn’t—including a famous female entrepreneur/inventor/film producer; a TV salesman from Queens; a well-to-do Manhattan college radical; an unwed mother in Los Angeles who protests most horribly; America’s premier pundit-columnist; and a young man who talks to his dead brother—became loud enough to start a fresh new controversy in America.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">This is a portrait of that controversy.</p><p class="p4" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">____________________________________________________________________________________________</p><p class="p4" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">PRAISE FOR STEVEN PAUL LEIVA AND HIS BOOKS</p><p class="p2" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"> </p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“Leiva not only promises but delivers. Bravo!”<b>— Ray Bradbury, Author of <i>Fahrenheit 451</i></b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“<i>Traveling in Space’s</i> humor and refreshing perspective is thoroughly enjoyable” <b>— Diane Ackerman, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Zookeeper’s Wife.</i></b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><i> </i></b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“Leiva is witty and engaging, stylistically striking an immediate generational middle ground...<i>Creature Feature’</i>s perfect mix of dynamic action and dry dialogue keep readers turning the pages.”<b>— <i>The Daily Californian</i>. </b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“A novel that delightfully throws out all the conventions of what a romantic novel should be like…part farce, part seriocomic story, and all sexually motivated, <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual</i> is a riveting tale.” <b>— <i>Montreal Times.</i></b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“(Leiva’s) true strength is in storytelling.” — <b><i>Amazing Stories Magazine.</i></b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p3" style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31ZJ_rRKorsU5UthizGHz8pm-x9KM3u1ayUG6a-2iDBS73oGInhpOpFH-wd9yJr7k5VOgyc4loO1AXl6bmuB1SN1IGfOCFrREMAVGe_tuDm6LsBfufc5Dn0L_xvv4QX9YMpi1HmIZJOfUPQWxfdJoLq6zhnFjIQIJ1e_fMCC7aLzxOnvgEOw7e4iGfLFh/s1538/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2011.18.48%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1538" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31ZJ_rRKorsU5UthizGHz8pm-x9KM3u1ayUG6a-2iDBS73oGInhpOpFH-wd9yJr7k5VOgyc4loO1AXl6bmuB1SN1IGfOCFrREMAVGe_tuDm6LsBfufc5Dn0L_xvv4QX9YMpi1HmIZJOfUPQWxfdJoLq6zhnFjIQIJ1e_fMCC7aLzxOnvgEOw7e4iGfLFh/w400-h301/Screenshot%202024-02-06%20at%2011.18.48%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">FIND RIGHT ON AMAZON</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Right-Controversy-Steven-Paul-Leiva-ebook/dp/B0CV36HXNR?ref_=ast_author_dp&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hc4z7yfXbAwzjFTIHqMYI_K43H36GU8j2f2zN-0bImlIMOV725ILS384tG_F41wwIaWMm-lLtFtc7o39XJQeYpB_DAecfy7RgOSBY3LHp_ZforXOCEbPYUbSCp_KmQwvSQWUIZ0MVuRNjzYJgG4Jd4OvUCVnEk9wu8oWpBh0aymVuFeSfKSsU_s36DsAfrOPoOWDVO_uJwOLRFSWTPAFmSVjxyZ2sZyDFWFNVJ6etkc.Ohty5wL1YtOZ6JbqqJfKoRUDe6ms7I68KH2DKctzI0E&dib_tag=AUTHOR" target="_blank">HERE</a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="outline: none !important;"><span style="font-size: medium; outline: none !important;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; outline: none !important;"><br /></span></span></div></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-46902359747357190982023-12-03T12:07:00.000-08:002023-12-03T12:27:55.688-08:00LATE BREAKING, END OF YEAR NEWS<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0xzdSpMSFXo4lng-AYe0u0cWFpVbXQDicFK59QEmrU09etxYas5tSVuter5n5YwpCATZxADgbp_NUiBAo82d1KMIBBig5hc2pHz13TUNJwvDOcv6YzmGDTxNRgmysleUeDIWeSdr6aoK2aJEn_JXB_hK-j6Gs947CXHiUDehPSy17UAGWOgRr4671sTB/s2490/406926327_10160353995408462_7483610620158735129_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="2490" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0xzdSpMSFXo4lng-AYe0u0cWFpVbXQDicFK59QEmrU09etxYas5tSVuter5n5YwpCATZxADgbp_NUiBAo82d1KMIBBig5hc2pHz13TUNJwvDOcv6YzmGDTxNRgmysleUeDIWeSdr6aoK2aJEn_JXB_hK-j6Gs947CXHiUDehPSy17UAGWOgRr4671sTB/w640-h274/406926327_10160353995408462_7483610620158735129_n.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="height: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Hello, Everybody!</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Well, this has been a year of surgeries for me and my family. I’ve gone through two, as has my wife. And our daughter, Miranda, has had one. We had a jolly time trading the positions of patient and nurse amongst each other. But all are pretty much back to normal—assuming we have ever been normal.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">In any case, despite all this, I’ve managed this year to re-publish under my Magpie Press imprint three of my novels in revised editions.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">My two Fixxer Adventures. <i>Blood is Pretty </i>and<i> Hollywood is an All-Volunteer Army</i>. Both were previously published by Crossroad Press.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseQGeGJ-xl2LEBIt-vZ5obqsyj5PbAaodetPqGlOyh_TcawbVoc2NnYhiE9e_nfILHpRMA8ENTOiXIMTJjAa8gZaE-i10tyekakDE9p8Ce7-MdFd_P0NZJRw3mEEAiE_iDf8uSjz6-V2Mxjs2laokk8zsxFbdWDZbiY4j2iGSAoDXqKzA_tcV0d_4c3ra/s1595/mock-00037.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1595" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseQGeGJ-xl2LEBIt-vZ5obqsyj5PbAaodetPqGlOyh_TcawbVoc2NnYhiE9e_nfILHpRMA8ENTOiXIMTJjAa8gZaE-i10tyekakDE9p8Ce7-MdFd_P0NZJRw3mEEAiE_iDf8uSjz6-V2Mxjs2laokk8zsxFbdWDZbiY4j2iGSAoDXqKzA_tcV0d_4c3ra/w640-h400/mock-00037.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">And <i>Traveling in Space</i>—previously published by Bluroof Press.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrojVPP1x-A4Z2pREE6vt_p6r7qyWACws_WHtCJJcBiEQEa4cxarsbiaKURyc7WvTOILaZlLLu-tjyxOkxWQzN33x5ANCCRygXhvnaRd-GMVNJ4oV3ooPo7G-7ugkGoX1hVreaZDRYrLW4LXYHDtA7m1BGKP_QoY3MvlY2O0E8TQzaeaEopyMQYsRPvFP/s1428/Screenshot%202023-08-14%20at%208.40.27%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="1428" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrojVPP1x-A4Z2pREE6vt_p6r7qyWACws_WHtCJJcBiEQEa4cxarsbiaKURyc7WvTOILaZlLLu-tjyxOkxWQzN33x5ANCCRygXhvnaRd-GMVNJ4oV3ooPo7G-7ugkGoX1hVreaZDRYrLW4LXYHDtA7m1BGKP_QoY3MvlY2O0E8TQzaeaEopyMQYsRPvFP/w400-h346/Screenshot%202023-08-14%20at%208.40.27%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I did a special promotion sale of the eBook edition of</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Traveling in Space</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">in August, concentrating on the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, and it reached the #1 Amazon Bestselling spot in all three markets in several categories, including various Science Fiction categories and in Satire.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><i>Traveling in Space</i> was also nominated and chosen by<a href="http://amazon.com/?fbclid=IwAR13oepcP9p03QGrIuw30YfNgoXLIHpW10P6PC27JIwuOHUXc_FrnTnlYbQ"> Amazon.com</a> in Australia to be included in the Prime Reading program from Dec 1, 2003, to May 31, 2024. </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBYY5nGUC_m1mh4HXfYdgKYS3qtwZ0kAlpcNEjNwgHmmGg1X4548l3e64ltWLGYeUDs8gbPUeCEsgKLA0rNxVxg5PFgDbyHXzkDJmTkneUqlZj5MN7Z84mS-TilbAFNHKLtGOfzCa3VNeA3U8CHIH_78S8uOx13KqESVV1w3TJKXDBClpBEvwiYcky6o3/s2036/Screenshot%202023-12-01%20at%209.13.54%E2%80%AFAM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="2036" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBYY5nGUC_m1mh4HXfYdgKYS3qtwZ0kAlpcNEjNwgHmmGg1X4548l3e64ltWLGYeUDs8gbPUeCEsgKLA0rNxVxg5PFgDbyHXzkDJmTkneUqlZj5MN7Z84mS-TilbAFNHKLtGOfzCa3VNeA3U8CHIH_78S8uOx13KqESVV1w3TJKXDBClpBEvwiYcky6o3/w400-h188/Screenshot%202023-12-01%20at%209.13.54%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">This is a special program where Amazon promotes the book to its most active readers.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Traveling in Space</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">has been doing well in Australia, and this will help spread the word in the Antipodes! Cheers to my readers and friends down under!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Time for a cover reveal. I am now working on the final proof and polish of my novel <i>Right: A Portrait of Controversy</i>. I wrote this novel in the early 1980s but put it aside when I got busy in the film industry. I gave the manuscript a read after decades and decided it was worth publishing via my Magpie Press imprint. I hope to publish in early 2024.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I always develop a concept for my book covers but then turn it over to the brilliant Juan Jose Padron, who works his magic and brings the cover to life. So, here it is.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxFvnO-IknSqVu6SdgcbU8DDigEACVCZOO3cFGMZ3poq5BfuCi-DVCbe76KFILOxITEdCxVf_TlGpEJThn27xpizvkSQFlL2EDXC4n3jQ-gaYAr8PVf4-C5ojIBwF0t_fYo0dxele04Zugui_LgJIQHd6AHnbMNOPdTHZA7QThVkJ1Sp-gG9De9aEZsx_/s2700/RIGHT%20ebook%20cover%2012-1-23.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxFvnO-IknSqVu6SdgcbU8DDigEACVCZOO3cFGMZ3poq5BfuCi-DVCbe76KFILOxITEdCxVf_TlGpEJThn27xpizvkSQFlL2EDXC4n3jQ-gaYAr8PVf4-C5ojIBwF0t_fYo0dxele04Zugui_LgJIQHd6AHnbMNOPdTHZA7QThVkJ1Sp-gG9De9aEZsx_/w426-h640/RIGHT%20ebook%20cover%2012-1-23.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I going to do a promotional sale of the eBook edition of my contrarian sci-fi novel <i>The Definition of Luck or The Pos-Modern Prometheus </i>from December 11 to December 17. </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXJrz4eXNeWzHqsjTlsLwo1rnTGieO-4RPBuVtq5QVf7ASnptearbCa2KLTEr-dUhoWaEd51Ilg8b6d8CVqgDj7j7gpNAlv3uNIB2SQOS_e7V6_Ym_DeVBExjEjgUhMWUe01PmnoejU9cLHcdunFV0DgSxFMhHWCWb35lJ0ESv2xb_wJV8stxV51ufh1i/s3000/3D4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2370" data-original-width="3000" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXJrz4eXNeWzHqsjTlsLwo1rnTGieO-4RPBuVtq5QVf7ASnptearbCa2KLTEr-dUhoWaEd51Ilg8b6d8CVqgDj7j7gpNAlv3uNIB2SQOS_e7V6_Ym_DeVBExjEjgUhMWUe01PmnoejU9cLHcdunFV0DgSxFMhHWCWb35lJ0ESv2xb_wJV8stxV51ufh1i/w640-h506/3D4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">TDOL has been given some nice reviews, and I hope you check it out. If you do, see if you agree with me that it is a <i>contrarian</i> sci-fi novel.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">"Having a special appeal to readers with an interest in philosophy and science fiction, The <i>Definition of Luck: Or The Post-Modern Prometheus</i> showcases author Steven Paul Leiva's genuine and impressive flair for originality and the kind of narrative-driven storytelling that fully engages the reader from beginning to end. Thoughtful, thought-provoking, original and entertaining." <b>— <i>Midwest Book Review</i></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">"I thoroughly enjoyed <i>The Definition of Luck</i>. It's a touching, thoughtful, and thought-provoking exploration of what friendship means. Recommended!" <b>— Stephen Webb, Physicist, Author of <i>New Light Through Old Windows: Exploring Contemporary Science Through 12 Classic Science Fiction Tales.</i></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">"What I can say is this is a very well-written book. Yes, it is Science Fiction and has some interesting ideas, but the description of the friendship between Astro and Neuro is the core subject of this book. Once you realize this, it puts things into perspective, which is probably why I've continued to enjoy thinking about the book long after reading it. <i>The Definition Of Luck Or The Post-Modern Prometheus </i>certainly gets a recommendation from me." <b>— Andy Whitaker, <i>SFcrowsnest</i></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">"I love reading Mr. Leiva's books a great deal. His stories always leave me highly entertained, but more than that, they make me really think about the story and the characters. His stories are never ones that I read and then soon forget about as I begin reading another book. No, his stories really make me think about the meaning behind the story. And they stick with me long after having read them. (And for someone who reads a lot of books, that means something to me.) I would highly recommend this book. It is a very complex tale, but one that I think anyone would enjoy, especially if you like books that will really make you think." <b>— <i>Mom Kat Reads Blog</i></b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">You can take a gander at all my books on my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Steven-Paul-Leiva/author/B001JS27EO?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">Amazon Authors Page</a> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I hope all of us have a wonderful holiday season, and may the coming new year bring all of us, and indeed the rest of humanity, some peace, a lot of creativity instead of destruction, fun times and joy, and love of friends and family. Not to mention quiet times with good books!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Cheers to all!</span></p></div><p><br /></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-86820329849575427792023-05-18T10:35:00.000-07:002023-05-18T10:35:26.901-07:00DISPATCHING YOUR ENEMIES<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">While visiting Ray Bradbury in his home one day, he turned to me and asked, “Do you know what the great thing is about writing fiction?”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CGBEKbmb_NNFWgvvWv6wNFJdGlZtkXy50X-9F3Zr84FvG_bsz7VXUCiLfDCXnPI1eQRhg97sp62cc4nm_L4JaNpqSWm3Mg-1eYy7ole9es33AOWUYKMzoDpQhopaSw1OYvHZH0azeafn3m0qSBLtcglR0GKkOjEV8LzwiR1TBR2JpOxu033qGyaK6Q/s604/5167_98120538461_822243_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="604" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CGBEKbmb_NNFWgvvWv6wNFJdGlZtkXy50X-9F3Zr84FvG_bsz7VXUCiLfDCXnPI1eQRhg97sp62cc4nm_L4JaNpqSWm3Mg-1eYy7ole9es33AOWUYKMzoDpQhopaSw1OYvHZH0azeafn3m0qSBLtcglR0GKkOjEV8LzwiR1TBR2JpOxu033qGyaK6Q/w400-h270/5167_98120538461_822243_n.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ray Bradbury at home</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“What?” I queried back.</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“You get to kill your enemies!”</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">We shared a laugh over that because it can be so true.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Ray famously dispatched film director John Huston in his short story “Banshee.” Before he knew him, Huston had been one of Ray’s heroes. But when Ray worked with Huston on <i>Moby Dick,</i> writing the screenplay in Ireland, where Huston lived, Ray found him to be a merciless bully. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH12lMtvwIVe8cBJUecCKpvGCZpD63LU4OizPgSvClEUt2Pa5bJ6ZVcEFtD3Tn0QnDMHAJ6OrG8QUYc6uo09hItOd2YkqBiY8DUvUSMNSoyp1Iwm6l6DeJJ_hsCojW8ESf4tbBvy1xZ0u7QCq3ZWvUhVpZAsNg7RBz6Q7OA5_7HhZdxT9fQ6ajYn9vuQ/s480/bradbury-huston-e1419840552369.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="480" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH12lMtvwIVe8cBJUecCKpvGCZpD63LU4OizPgSvClEUt2Pa5bJ6ZVcEFtD3Tn0QnDMHAJ6OrG8QUYc6uo09hItOd2YkqBiY8DUvUSMNSoyp1Iwm6l6DeJJ_hsCojW8ESf4tbBvy1xZ0u7QCq3ZWvUhVpZAsNg7RBz6Q7OA5_7HhZdxT9fQ6ajYn9vuQ/w400-h316/bradbury-huston-e1419840552369.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Huston and Ray Bradbury working on Moby Dick</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">It was a trying and possibly traumatic time for Ray. Which must have sat in his mind waiting for some kind of exorcism. Possibly it came when, years later, Ray wrote his short story "Banshee."</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">In “Banshee,” Huston becomes film director “John Hampton,” and Ray, whose middle name was Douglas, becomes young screenwriter “Douglas Rogers.” </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSWYiFXDhn66Gb0-MNUTe6h9HD1phIBgenoQr25WABG_bAlCXvMyD890N_7X0uBvdw2AhbAbfAOPNjcatlZy6STQzULTuXYsBHGztZOWzyS4Q8ckL-S1lM1WHG6NHQ6qZ19yuVR-L7n_Y_2HHV3IfKRs-5wCcNaMpVL8lcK3BEC3bo8tZwQFMfMlOWQ/s598/MV5BNTc3YmM3YjEtYjBhZC00ZDlmLTkyMTAtYmQ4ZjJmZmE2ZWE3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDA3MjIzNjU@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="598" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSWYiFXDhn66Gb0-MNUTe6h9HD1phIBgenoQr25WABG_bAlCXvMyD890N_7X0uBvdw2AhbAbfAOPNjcatlZy6STQzULTuXYsBHGztZOWzyS4Q8ckL-S1lM1WHG6NHQ6qZ19yuVR-L7n_Y_2HHV3IfKRs-5wCcNaMpVL8lcK3BEC3bo8tZwQFMfMlOWQ/w400-h281/MV5BNTc3YmM3YjEtYjBhZC00ZDlmLTkyMTAtYmQ4ZjJmZmE2ZWE3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDA3MjIzNjU@._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Martin Smith as "Douglas Rogers" <br />and Peter O'Toole as "John Hampton"<br />in the <i>Ray Bradbury Theater</i> presentation of <i>Banshee</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">It is blatantly autobiographical—except for the Banshee, of course, which is portrayed as an actual entity, and, horrifyingly, snatches Hampton off into eternity.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Despite taking place in Ireland, “Banshee,” and Ray’s experience that gave birth to it, is a Hollywood story. It’s a wonder that Ray still pursued an association with “The Biz” after Ireland and the great white whale of Huston’s ego, but he did. Ray was a giddy cinephile. And, to be fair, he made many friends in Hollywood whom he admired and who admired him in return.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">But it’s one's enemies who often provide the fodder for fiction.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I discovered this while writing my critically acclaimed novel <i>Blood is Pretty: The First Fixxer Adventure, </i>which I have just re-published in a revised edition under my Magpie Press imprint. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcq4zIjuYHb3HgtZVQW43Gu1Ler8dI9WxvM8HXIkcywmeIPYe6J8WuAEDxfPkPJKWGJAU2LLwCOGj45tGQQNjjrkgvSp8RQ0Fw3tJfb3kyfNK-HdoNsY1VSWmHAisnYh102i-rbLxpRmhK2i5TAyeFEXZRa46wf4nirxOAvZ3W3vwyTeWXg6PcnMXPMg/s2700/BLOOD%20IS%20PRETTY%20ebook%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcq4zIjuYHb3HgtZVQW43Gu1Ler8dI9WxvM8HXIkcywmeIPYe6J8WuAEDxfPkPJKWGJAU2LLwCOGj45tGQQNjjrkgvSp8RQ0Fw3tJfb3kyfNK-HdoNsY1VSWmHAisnYh102i-rbLxpRmhK2i5TAyeFEXZRa46wf4nirxOAvZ3W3vwyTeWXg6PcnMXPMg/w266-h400/BLOOD%20IS%20PRETTY%20ebook%20copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I wrote the novel in the mid-1990s after experiencing several painful “disappointments” in my Hollywood career. Disappointments in events and in people. Disappointments are not rare in Hollywood. And yet, when it is your disappointments, they seem far more intensely essential and worthy of revenge.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I had intended for <i>Blood is Pretty</i> just to be a page-turning thriller inspired by such books from the past, including Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, Sapper’s Bulldog Drummond books, and Leslie Charteris’ The Saint tomes. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihy3aohLCX1CoIdTm6V2rak9JNWuadLGiPNNub6SN7VjMXkbmS3dPgatoC6t6FsrTRHxMfgobmi4ehs8TKX53ciDvPDViba-BlG4TXiwDxw_mE4ABkdfC6lAaaA9oc1EH00-t1qxdzl_7JanZXOwl6R7Qjo5Nw_R8_U0dMBrguGAROM603HEqBoLsgBA/s1488/Screenshot%202023-05-11%20at%2012.31.45%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1488" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihy3aohLCX1CoIdTm6V2rak9JNWuadLGiPNNub6SN7VjMXkbmS3dPgatoC6t6FsrTRHxMfgobmi4ehs8TKX53ciDvPDViba-BlG4TXiwDxw_mE4ABkdfC6lAaaA9oc1EH00-t1qxdzl_7JanZXOwl6R7Qjo5Nw_R8_U0dMBrguGAROM603HEqBoLsgBA/w640-h458/Screenshot%202023-05-11%20at%2012.31.45%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Fun to write, I assumed, and fun to read, I knew. But as it is not so much “write what you know” as it is, “what else can you really write but what you know?” the setting became Hollywood. And, since I had been a satirist since my college newspaper column writing days, I naturally took an askew (or screwy) view of the place and cast the book with people from my Hollywood past that I had found to be, shall we say, less than lovable.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">So, I wrote a <i>satiric Hollywood thriller</i>—if you can imagine such a thing. But you don’t have to because I already did, and you can get it on Amazon as an eBook, trade paperback, or audiobook.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Did I have fun dispatching some of those less-than-lovely people? You damn right, I did. One was young and not yet famous but was convinced he would be before too long. And, indeed, he did become famous. One was an active director of mediocre movies who was self-deluded into thinking that all his films were fabulous. Another was a Hollywood hanger-on, a particularly obnoxious film reviewer for complimentary newspapers. And finally, there was a prominent studio executive whom I knew solely through press accounts in the Trades. But I did have a meeting with him shortly after <i>Blood is Pretty</i> was written. Irony—it's my life!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">But lest you think <i>Blood is Pretty</i> is just an exercise in vindictive jollies, let me assure you I am not so one-dimensional and have a broader “what else can you really write but what you know?” field of dreams.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">During this time, I read a lot about the brain and the scientific search for how it works. I have always been fascinated by how easily the brain is fooled. By dreams, by shadows, by shapes we perceive which aren't truly there. And, especially by our reactions to movies, how we can suspend disbelief and live comfortably in a manufactured reality. So I read books by Francis Crick, Paul M. Churchland, and Daniel C. Dennett and had the brain and its workings very much on my mind when I started writing <i>Blood is Pretty.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU4dN3PxzIbB_x9-rlpyiHhf9soS8Jp_KNA-UcOGSKf_8IVm9MEvUKCev130vtuw1XKY31aANBoWs7jhAiyRiiJVTnxvc0UuBjl0iiBGLzuBvVHErS0FZL13ZKC2THr4VnEUHEBgh0j48pOi4lLirJT5szryoZfo_r6NWhgQOv8TB4t2K--gQ0-eofA/s1548/Screenshot%202023-05-11%20at%2012.51.10%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1548" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU4dN3PxzIbB_x9-rlpyiHhf9soS8Jp_KNA-UcOGSKf_8IVm9MEvUKCev130vtuw1XKY31aANBoWs7jhAiyRiiJVTnxvc0UuBjl0iiBGLzuBvVHErS0FZL13ZKC2THr4VnEUHEBgh0j48pOi4lLirJT5szryoZfo_r6NWhgQOv8TB4t2K--gQ0-eofA/w640-h378/Screenshot%202023-05-11%20at%2012.51.10%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">This led me to create a McGuffin for my thriller called Veritas. This computer program can fool your brain far more powerfully than any virtual reality existing at the time and, indeed, even today. But it was also more than a McGuffin, for its existence in the story let me explore the gullible nature of the brain and how Hollywood exploits that.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">The following paragraph is on the acknowledgments page of <i>Blood is Pretty.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">There is a particular theory of consciousness—of how the brain gives us reality—which I have used as a basis for a significant element in this novel. As reported in the New York Times, the theory’s strongest proponent is Dr. Rodolfo Llinás, a professor of neuroscience at New York University. I am indebted to him and the excellent New York Times science reporting for the inspiration. However, the technological extrapolation I spin-off this theory comes solely from the reality of my brain, and neither Dr. Llinás nor the New York Times should be held accountable for it.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Despite this modicum of serious intent in <i>Blood is Pretty</i>, readers have found the book fun, entertaining, and—I say with a modicum of humility—a good read. Now that I have re-proofed and polished the original book, I believe the new, revised edition is an even better "good read" than before.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">XX</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Vampiro One; font-size: large;">BLOOD IS PRETTY</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Vampiro One; font-size: large;">THE FIRST FIXXER ADVENTURE</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">It's the late 1990s—and Hollywood wants to take over the world!</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">What those in the know in Hollywood really know is that if they need a dark deed done, if they need a sticky personal or professional problem "fixed," they can call upon the mysterious and dangerous Fixxer. With wit and aplomb, he works the fruitful fields of Hollywood, fixing the sins and correcting the stupidities of the denizens therein.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">In <i>Blood is Pretty,</i> The Fixxer comes to the rescue of “the most beautiful woman I have ever seen” to extricate her from the grip of the soul-sucking sexual desires of a producer born in slime and takes on the task of buying off with money and muscle a film geek who won’t cooperate with a director of minuscule talent who simply wants to claim “V”—the geek’s “Holy Grail” of a film treatment—as his own. When the film geek is discovered dismembered, the Fixxer is compelled to know why and finds worlds of evil, both real and virtual, centering around a computer program called Veritas, which has the potential of making its owner the wealthiest and most powerful human on Earth. With the aid of Roee, his friend, companion, and cook who can kill quickly and silently in several different ways; the Captain, officially with the Los Angeles Police Department, unofficially with the Fixxer; Petey, extraordinarily brilliant a</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">nd comically strange; and “the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” the Fixxer goes forth to do battle. </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Blood is Pretty: The First Fixxer Adventure</i> (Revised Edition) from Magpie Press is now available in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Pretty-First-Fixxer-Adventure/dp/1735298573/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=">trade paperback</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Pretty-Fixxer-Adventure-Revised-ebook/dp/B0C55WBCZT?ref_=ast_author_mpb">eBook</a> formats on Amazon. You can also get the Crossroad Press audiobook edition on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Pretty-First-Fixxer-Adventure/dp/B01DCJO68C?ref_=ast_author_dp">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Blood-Is-Pretty-Audiobook/B01DCOUU0K?qid=1684431110&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=GMKCVZMVCZ9GD18SMC3Q&pageLoadId=dIEt1NMDiq8EQOqy&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c">Audible</a>.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Cheers to all!</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">xx</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-73883523439238774692023-03-02T12:12:00.000-08:002023-03-02T12:12:25.168-08:00THE RELAUNCH OF TRAVELING IN SPACE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2q2tj1iy45w8vSAke8PV7chDtxHIJV6ofKFoxxoVug5Pjxohww-DUjCsdWkEb-KsNYXmb1wzVcqWAcwtKQFCnyPjB4AKhhFI8nyLBJavoFssWtj0V2yJq1lbdvnimWLKHeQVNVFfFj_8bMP5IsRHBSUtjwaXi1q-jWB9iQh_GKKK1fbAO1fLnP6Hrg/s4000/TIS%20PNG1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2q2tj1iy45w8vSAke8PV7chDtxHIJV6ofKFoxxoVug5Pjxohww-DUjCsdWkEb-KsNYXmb1wzVcqWAcwtKQFCnyPjB4AKhhFI8nyLBJavoFssWtj0V2yJq1lbdvnimWLKHeQVNVFfFj_8bMP5IsRHBSUtjwaXi1q-jWB9iQh_GKKK1fbAO1fLnP6Hrg/w640-h426/TIS%20PNG1.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><b>Hello. Everybody!</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><b>The revised paperback edition of my satiric science fiction novel </b><i>Traveling in Space </i><b>is now available on Amazon worldwide.</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><b>AMAZON US </b><a href="https://tinyurl.com/ybxzsx48"><span class="s2"><b>https://tinyurl.com/ybxzsx48</b></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><b>AMAZON UK </b><a href="https://tinyurl.com/8d4vs8uh"><span class="s2"><b>https://tinyurl.com/8d4vs8uh</b></span></a></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><b>AMAZON CA </b><a href="https://tinyurl.com/4c4y26zv"><span class="s2"><b>https://tinyurl.com/4c4y26zv</b></span></a><b> </b></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><b>AMAZON AU </b><a href="https://tinyurl.com/dv8zj7sv"><span class="s2"><b>https://tinyurl.com/dv8zj7sv</b></span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><b>My revisions were grammatical. The plot, characters, and dialog are the same. </b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><b>In looking up the URLs for each Amazon site to make Tiny URLs out of them, I discovered this customer review from 2021 on the Amazon Canada site, which I had never seen before. Far be it from me not to share!</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD37e900nVjrqD6Szt_OkHyCGDTwtgSLPBHXAktRKcAcjMPzZ9SLTaIKA8Oy5Ncn89miZe_exD0j0g54p6T0mG39Q4-f7rCf8GOHfv0eS2AD96x1kV7auIbOEIzXXE7mreecQv-SlV6XcUl-LpMeeb3mfZuxBiooTE_q4_KH5KG-GZLJsZ1gTHPHMLg/s1432/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-02%20at%2010.12.47%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1432" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD37e900nVjrqD6Szt_OkHyCGDTwtgSLPBHXAktRKcAcjMPzZ9SLTaIKA8Oy5Ncn89miZe_exD0j0g54p6T0mG39Q4-f7rCf8GOHfv0eS2AD96x1kV7auIbOEIzXXE7mreecQv-SlV6XcUl-LpMeeb3mfZuxBiooTE_q4_KH5KG-GZLJsZ1gTHPHMLg/w640-h338/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-02%20at%2010.12.47%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><b style="font-size: 16px;">Well, RoKuS</b><i style="font-size: 16px;"> </i><b style="font-size: 16px;">is my newest love!</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 2px;"><b>And here’s a reminder of editorial reviews of the first edition of </b><i>Traveling in Space.</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">"Traveling in Space's humor and refreshing perspective is thoroughly enjoyable." <b>— Diane Ackerman, New York Times bestselling author of The Zookeeper's Wife and A Natural History of the Senses.</b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">"Many of the aliens' encounters with human beings are downright funny...much to think about, and I'm sure that Traveling in Space will play on my mind for some time to come." <b>— Russell Blackford, author of Science Fiction and the Moral Imagination.</b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">"A deadpan, laugh-out-loud look at first contact told from the alien POV (with aliens that are as messed up as the rest of us). Recommended!" <b>— Stephen Webb, physicist, author of If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?: Seventy-Five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life."</b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">"Superbly entertaining and unique...thought-provoking." <b>— The Mindquest Review of Books</b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">"A unique spin of science fiction... With much humor and much to think about...not to be overlooked." <b>— Midwest Book Review.</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-54062688147926235542022-11-15T15:26:00.000-08:002022-11-15T15:26:20.016-08:00I WROTE A LONG NOVEL—SO SUE ME!<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpI10I3-XYj5HqzORJmrwoyogXn-UWvH3VZhtAQl4nHGAZ_bG2ZU0qR9CzZSc3EnIwre0QqrkmtjRn1a2Y2b-fzIrEfAutYrxLm-z9YFplug3CMWEDELZj5viC4mBppoSdVKNfGbFfLjqnzXYwi4WaroJnxeY5vkf_I73nl-rIeGP0N5zBVvI7Jsq1w/s1194/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-31%20at%202.04.27%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="1194" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpI10I3-XYj5HqzORJmrwoyogXn-UWvH3VZhtAQl4nHGAZ_bG2ZU0qR9CzZSc3EnIwre0QqrkmtjRn1a2Y2b-fzIrEfAutYrxLm-z9YFplug3CMWEDELZj5viC4mBppoSdVKNfGbFfLjqnzXYwi4WaroJnxeY5vkf_I73nl-rIeGP0N5zBVvI7Jsq1w/w640-h314/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-31%20at%202.04.27%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">About a month ago, Nicholas Goldberg wrote a column in the <i>Los Angeles Times </i>in which he mentioned that he had a friend whose book club’s only rule was that the books they would mutually read—and, it is assumed, intelligently discuss while eating cheese and drinking wine—had to be no longer than 200 pages. You may not find that disconcerting, but I, who have written several novels well over that ill-painted, splintered-filled benchmark, see it as disturbing as hell. What the hell is their deal? Do they like only concertos and not symphonies? Half-hour sitcoms and not season-long continuing dramas? Insubstantial snacks instead of a hearty meal? A half-roll in the hay instead of prolonged, tender love-making?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">I’ve brought sex into this blog to emphasize that I’m genuinely disturbed about the above because my latest novel (which releases today), <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual: A Tragicomedy in Four Movements A Prelude And An Interlude,</i> doesn’t conclude its story until page 499. It even has a long title!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGa54aeOyy6enjY7AwKD2D2icKaWdz6SVQPOZlXhnrWBu6FfTHwKl9tjLqQw0cJrE-ob9m_dw8o-ZGKHxOgwJvTG0hym9w5RUnbnBHYBiR5G09z0Szt_4VvH9Wl6Uc2qNDvZUE46AQUUNj7S4og6cIKzmefwmi_XbFVHOjmSgkIJjt3TNuKVRT-BwHA/s1506/TRH%20ARCs%20PIC%207-21-22%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1506" data-original-width="1130" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGa54aeOyy6enjY7AwKD2D2icKaWdz6SVQPOZlXhnrWBu6FfTHwKl9tjLqQw0cJrE-ob9m_dw8o-ZGKHxOgwJvTG0hym9w5RUnbnBHYBiR5G09z0Szt_4VvH9Wl6Uc2qNDvZUE46AQUUNj7S4og6cIKzmefwmi_XbFVHOjmSgkIJjt3TNuKVRT-BwHA/w480-h640/TRH%20ARCs%20PIC%207-21-22%20(1).jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">But then, I have not made it a habit of accommodating readers with short attention spans.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Am I being fair? After all, there is a place for short novels. I’m thinking stuffed in that small space between the bottom of a door and the floor to stop drafts. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Now that certainly isn’t fair of me, is it? But then, neither are those who accuse big books of being doorstoppers.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Nicholas Goldberg was not casting aspersions against his friend’s book club; he admits that short books can be great. But then he joined me in my umbrage when he read a virulent attack against big, long books in the UK’s <i>Spectator Magazine</i> by John Sturgis entitled, “Good Riddance to Long Books.” Sturgis was celebrating the fact that several short novels were put on the shortlist for the Booker Prize. And yes, he joked that the prize was “...putting the short in the shortlist.” </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">One of Sturgis’ main complaints about big, long novels was that holding a hefty book in one hand while riding on the subway strains his wrist. Well, get thee to a Kindle, man! Tolstoy’s <i>War and Peace</i> (1440 pages) weighs no more than Capote’s <i>Breakfast at Tiffany’s</i> (160 pages) in their Kindle editions.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Goldberg also makes this point, which I think makes a lot of sense: “I’ve had a theory for a long time that American students are trained in high school to dislike great authors because instead of reading their <i>best</i> books, they’re assigned their <i>shortest</i> books. Ernest Hemingway’s <i>The Old Man and the Sea</i>, Dickens’ mediocre <i>Hard Times</i>, John Steinbeck’s <i>Of Mice and Men.</i>” </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">To be fair, any writer of fiction who is at least competent in their craft and art knows that a story needs to be as long as it needs to be, to be entirely told, whether long or short. But that said, novelist Jane Smiley defines the novel as “A lengthy, written, prose narrative with a protagonist.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><i>Lengthy </i>is the keyword here. Sometimes it takes time to immerse the reader’s brain in all the events in a story and the nuances of personality that drive those events. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">But still, I feel compelled to explain why <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual </i>came in at 499 pages—the longest novel I have written, the longest story I have told. The explanation is a story in itself—the story of the novel’s writing.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">The seed for TRH was planted in the late 1980s when I was writing screenplays and trying to get them produced. A man who fancied himself a producer (and possibly a sex god) told me a true story he heard about a man who spies a gorgeous woman across a ballroom during a big charity do at a San Francisco hotel. He asked someone who she was, and that someone told him. Except that someone, looking across the ballroom, mistakenly thought the man meant a woman standing next to the gorgeous woman instead of the gorgeous woman herself. Deciding to play matchmaker that someone, finding it impossible to introduce the man to the mistaken woman in the crowded confusion of the enormous charity do, did, at least, get the mistaken woman’s permission to give the man her phone number. The next day the man called the number and got an answering machine. But he left a message, she called back, and they had a pleasant conversation. Indeed, it was more than pleasant. They made a genuine mental connection, all while his mind was imagining the gorgeous woman being on the other end of the line. He asked her out on a date. She said yes. He showed up at her apartment for the date. She opened the door and…</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">It was an excellent setup for a romantic comedy. So I decided to write a screenplay based on it, which I entitled, <i>Wait for the Beep! </i>Those old enough to remember analog tape phone answering machines for the home will recognize the term.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">I liked the screenplay. I liked much of the dialog I wrote for it. There was just one problem. It had a lousy ending. Or, rather, no ending at all. Silly me, I had given the protagonist too much depth. I made him a man who liked only gorgeous women. And a brilliant neuroscientist who hated ignorant people. And he had a pretty strict standard for what he called intelligent. And if a woman, no matter how gorgeous she was, did not meet that standard, he could not get serious about her. During his phone conversation with the mistaken woman, he discovers that she is not only intelligent but charmingly and wittily so. But when she opens her door, he finds to his immediate disappointment, that she is not the gorgeous woman he thought he was meeting. He had been excited to find a gorgeous woman who was also the charmingly intelligent woman who was his dream. The mistaken woman standing before him is not. Not that she is unattractive. Just not his standard of gorgeous. It is more than an awkward situation. But they go on the date, nevertheless. And, of course, it’s disastrous. It is a horrible night. Not without some biting banter, of course. What’s a rom-com without biting banter? And yet, you know they must end up together, right? So I get them together at the end. But it just didn’t sit right. Or <i>lay</i> right, as the case may be. Because although they have sex at the end of the night, given who they both are (she has acerbic and skeptical ideas of love and marriage, not to mention the baby carriage), I couldn’t imagine that any bells rang out that night.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Plus, I had to go and create another character who’s a geneticist striving to develop a formula for a “stick shift for the sex drive.” I liked this guy. He was wacky, if brilliant, quotes Richard Dawkins’ selfish gene theory, and, in my mind, looked like a young Tim Burton. But this brought up the interesting issue of evolution and sex. And the evolution of sex—or the lack thereof. A pretty heady theme for a supposed romantic comedy. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">I knew I had more to write about than a screenplay would allow. So I decided to take the script and turn it into a novel to add what narrative prose could offer. I was happy with <i>Wait for the Beep!,</i> the novel, except that the ending was not a real ending.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Then I decided to turn it into a stage play. I was excited about what stagecraft could bring to the story’s structure and how I could manipulate time and the order of events. It was a joy to work on. I was happy with the bulk of the work. Of course, the ending still sucked—in more ways than one.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">So<i> Wait for the Beep! </i>sat for years in three formats, three disappointing drafts, its characters calling out to me forlornly, wondering why I had abandoned them.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Eventually, after I had written and published several novels which did have satisfactory endings, I was struck on the top of the head with a realization prefaced by the mental whisper of <i>Dummkopf! </i>The reason <i>Wait for the Beep!</i> never had a satisfactory ending was because <i>it wasn’t the whole story! </i>I had not told the entire tale. Having concluded that my real art was narrative prose fiction, it was now clear that I had begun something I hadn’t finished. And in a sense, I hadn’t even started it. What I had written was just the middle of a whole. The beginning and the end of the full story of my two main characters—now named Robert Leslie Cromwell and Sandra (Sandy) Smith—needed to be told. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">And so, <i>Wait for the Beep!</i> became <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual: A Tragicomedy in Four Movements A Prelude And An Interlude.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Why movements instead of chapters? That was dictated by the tone of the original piece, which I still wanted to play as a standard rom-com. Or, at least, in the guise of a typical rom-com. But now I was aching to fill in the stories of Robert and Sandy. Who were they? Where did they come from? What had shaped them into the people in the rom-com? And what happened after the events of the rom-com? And what about this stick shift for the sex drive? What was that all about? How did that affect the story? </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">None of this other stuff could play like a rom-com. The parts of the whole story, like the different movements in a symphony, would have to have their separate tones and tempo and be played, I suppose it could be said, in different keys. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">PRELUDE </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Robert and Sandra - San Francisco - 1992</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">The introduction of Robert and Sandy. They have been married for over ten years. Sandra, a longtime employee of the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco, is now the executive director of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. Robert is the co-founder of TOTLS Genetics (no one could ever get out of Robert or his partner, Gerald Podobinski, the meaning of the initials TOTLS). TOTLS Genetics, founded in 1981, revolutionized humanity. Robert and Sandy are worth nearly a billion dollars. We see them coming home from a charity do for the Legion of Honor to their modern mansion built in the style of a San Francisco painted lady. They banter about an old acquaintance of Sandy’s who was at the do. A still gorgeous woman. Sex is requested. Sex is denied. After Sandy wonders how they got together as a couple, they go to bed. And after Robert takes the<i> other </i>pill<i>. </i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">FIRST MOVEMENT </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Robert - Los Angeles - 1950s to 1980</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Robert’s story from before he was born. He’s the son of a lanky and laconic B-movie/TV cowboy second banana. And a gorgeous, sexy, not very talented singer/actress. This movement ends as he leaves for the San Francisco Bay Area to become a professor/researcher at UC Berkeley. As it unfolds, we are privy to his intellectual and sexual development.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">SECOND MOVEMENT </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Robert and Sandra - San Francisco - 1980</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">This movement is the original <i>Wait for the Beep!</i> rom-com of Robert and Sandy meeting awkwardly and having a disastrous date ending in sex. It ends with a surprising last line. </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">We also meet geneticist Gerald Podobinski, who wants to develop a “stick shift for the sex drive.”</span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: xx-large;"> </span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">THIRD MOVEMENT </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Sandra - Azusa; San Francisco; Europe -1950s to 1980</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Sandy’s story from before birth to her education in art history in San Francisco and Europe. She is an orphan adopted by an older couple, both orphans themselves. She is a bit of a tomboy as a child who loves to read and discovers a passion for art. She also learns about boys’ silliness, no matter their age.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><b>INTERLUDE </b></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Podobinski - Q&A -1992</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">The transcript of a Q&A with Gerald Podobinsky conducted by the author of a proposed book entitled: <i>A Stick Shift for the Sex Drive: How Doctors Gerald “Jerry” Podobinski and Robert Leslie Cromwell are Changing the Human Sexual Dynamic.</i> Podobinski is in his element here, explaining to the author everything about the stick shift for the sex drive, which comes in two pills: CONTROL and ABANDON. In addition, he covers the development and history of the drugs which have made him and Robert fabulously wealthy. And he does it in his outrageous, un-self-censored manner. He also mentions quite seriously that, in his opinion, Robert and Sandy’s is <i>the love story of the century!</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">FOURTH MOVEMENT </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Robert and Sandra - San Francisco - Cheviot Hills - Azusa 1992 </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">The final movement picks up the morning after the end of the Prelude. Robert and Sandy have a conversation about sex that ends with Robert making a horrible, unintended confession. Sandy is shocked. She accuses him of having raped her over and over for years. She leaves him. Robert is stunned. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">How is all this resolved, if it is? Well, that is revealed at the end. Or is it? </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">+++++++++</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">So—I wrote a long novel. Over its long gestation, it changed literary forms several times. It grew appendages to become a </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">romantic comedy wrapped between two <i>bildungsromans </i>accessorized with science fiction and alternative history. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">And if that doesn't intrigue you, then this is not the novel for you. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Available in Trade Paperback</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiplorKrUN0QeAIFB5W39PdKoyHO2MHsfVzq76FUwdYI0JzVIVYG06WQAqsTDMovnUczRWUNsRi0VdK22--vaQ1A3m7pl6oC_vr4jgSCg6GJYHblToa4SFqyOotTGdpOjA_tT5uuXshIyg3buNahtO9_0BvHlT2oY31NPh1WClI4fRNNSBRwcYT49DlA/s2514/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%203.18.53%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="2514" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiplorKrUN0QeAIFB5W39PdKoyHO2MHsfVzq76FUwdYI0JzVIVYG06WQAqsTDMovnUczRWUNsRi0VdK22--vaQ1A3m7pl6oC_vr4jgSCg6GJYHblToa4SFqyOotTGdpOjA_tT5uuXshIyg3buNahtO9_0BvHlT2oY31NPh1WClI4fRNNSBRwcYT49DlA/w640-h436/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%203.18.53%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Or as an eBook</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1MN8T0FTJ2xYocRgNEewPsrmNk7Zv0A3FB7De9af80g5yZ4P4wLS3P8gvBa2cjgFK3QRRQ8XdcJgRQk3du4p0ug7rPRvLiUEUskwDCVc9K-4Kfuzxhiqr18dA4J3Zcymp2uv2S75KFSjO0T2n6Iw3PwFidOdaYnNuRER0q1RBq6euKGRIC-c8ir4OA/s1600/TRH%20-%20PAD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1355" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1MN8T0FTJ2xYocRgNEewPsrmNk7Zv0A3FB7De9af80g5yZ4P4wLS3P8gvBa2cjgFK3QRRQ8XdcJgRQk3du4p0ug7rPRvLiUEUskwDCVc9K-4Kfuzxhiqr18dA4J3Zcymp2uv2S75KFSjO0T2n6Iw3PwFidOdaYnNuRER0q1RBq6euKGRIC-c8ir4OA/w542-h640/TRH%20-%20PAD.png" width="542" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccnCTFLEG239gY4riODpyG4FmmiNykkNOLCDJLJs3mCNc5bZ2lkuHwLO6M3Z0xYTEzJ72nlo7Bc0n3nZkwkA6J1K7Mrn-hkJDac2VoJ7wq4yXp1x_e6vhZtnbcj_ijxuYH-jaS7P5y5UtBBBsjBP8LevXBsR0_YWx3ya8ZcITWzyoh43ahdeHTV6JxQ/s1200/TRH%20-%20Robert%20and%20Sandy%20SM%20graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccnCTFLEG239gY4riODpyG4FmmiNykkNOLCDJLJs3mCNc5bZ2lkuHwLO6M3Z0xYTEzJ72nlo7Bc0n3nZkwkA6J1K7Mrn-hkJDac2VoJ7wq4yXp1x_e6vhZtnbcj_ijxuYH-jaS7P5y5UtBBBsjBP8LevXBsR0_YWx3ya8ZcITWzyoh43ahdeHTV6JxQ/w640-h640/TRH%20-%20Robert%20and%20Sandy%20SM%20graphic.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">With <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual, I </i>conclude my thematic trilogy: <i>The Love, Sex, and Pursuit of Happiness Novels</i>. All three novels look at these essential aspects of the human condition, with each novel focusing on one of the three. <i>By the Sea: A Comic Novel </i>looks at our unease when unhappy. <i>Bully 4 Love: A Rather Odd Love Story</i> takes a skewed view of this most revered emotion. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRukE99uBFF7t8zT6gdNqIcMRRwfxxykvnyPvajJeCn4BLj8A09PKXUGqMWQPg2wXYobkBGEckrx-zHq55UHH9-GaV-JKcBtRDrvqrXUAhJvavZT2Js4qvN18kQCchjzgboOX4obwcnDJbdBmLTpURacYQ2N9jQYQd9sidxjqoCYdzTEiYVb-4TI2W9g/s1600/LSTPOH%20GRAPHICS%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRukE99uBFF7t8zT6gdNqIcMRRwfxxykvnyPvajJeCn4BLj8A09PKXUGqMWQPg2wXYobkBGEckrx-zHq55UHH9-GaV-JKcBtRDrvqrXUAhJvavZT2Js4qvN18kQCchjzgboOX4obwcnDJbdBmLTpURacYQ2N9jQYQd9sidxjqoCYdzTEiYVb-4TI2W9g/w640-h426/LSTPOH%20GRAPHICS%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">And now, <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual</i>, as the title predicts, concerns sex, which is not always the same as love, nor is it always a happy situation. Subtitled<i> A Tragicomedy in Four Movements A Prelude And An Interlude, </i>each section of the novel, as in a musical composition, has its own tempo, mood, and form as it tells the story—and stories—of Robert Leslie Cromwell and Sandy Smith. Two <i>Homo sapiens sapiens</i> surviving and striving in the late 20th-Century. </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoXG4lSt1uzPD1dn32mZkVZA8TdiWsAmip3CwiVzrkF8bEWftW23D0ShLFZi7L8iijb_ixVr8nGoDmX7OU8mLZoJxaGRdnlsRLy_dORFJCwQIljOwJ8zoZV2sjvnzyHqEeBxeej3911Q4WA4A4FGrTJyI9X-kV4kbP4ImI0ViEBplN6riza3Spb1Pdw/s1462/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-29%20at%202.48.59%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="1462" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoXG4lSt1uzPD1dn32mZkVZA8TdiWsAmip3CwiVzrkF8bEWftW23D0ShLFZi7L8iijb_ixVr8nGoDmX7OU8mLZoJxaGRdnlsRLy_dORFJCwQIljOwJ8zoZV2sjvnzyHqEeBxeej3911Q4WA4A4FGrTJyI9X-kV4kbP4ImI0ViEBplN6riza3Spb1Pdw/w640-h428/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-29%20at%202.48.59%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">+++++++++</div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DLN__a6aPKLscuPgV_ORAK6_Iu7EimPzCfub73FoZs4aw0NMK2Dfh3L8GASr10BQ5Ff1vVO4iNEiFPurakCYQM2qcWDgHzxuqnwhUlW9XwE8eOLZGjCeX_kZGxKuBfjUEukZgjcWcM0Xa-KxWHM5lbkP5FX47JQHJbRmMpX-lzs-F3Q6TUVLArVQhg/s1600/LSTPOH%20GRAPHIC%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DLN__a6aPKLscuPgV_ORAK6_Iu7EimPzCfub73FoZs4aw0NMK2Dfh3L8GASr10BQ5Ff1vVO4iNEiFPurakCYQM2qcWDgHzxuqnwhUlW9XwE8eOLZGjCeX_kZGxKuBfjUEukZgjcWcM0Xa-KxWHM5lbkP5FX47JQHJbRmMpX-lzs-F3Q6TUVLArVQhg/w640-h426/LSTPOH%20GRAPHIC%201.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: right;"><br /><br /></p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">The Reluctant Heterosexual: A Tragicomedy in Four Movements A Prelude And An Interlude </i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">is part of my thematic trilogy, THE LOVE, SEX, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS NOVELS. You can check them out on Amazon </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFYYBNMF?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn" style="font-family: trebuchet;" target="_blank">HERE</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">. </span></span><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">If you want to read about my other books, please follow this <a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html">LINK</a> to the My Books page on this blog.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">Cheers to all!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /><br />x</span></p><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-33730771820375558872022-09-20T18:15:00.026-07:002022-09-20T18:26:57.445-07:00 HALLOWEEN A'COMIN' CREATURE FEATURE DISCOUNTIN' <p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzZObp_d0T7wp0Uaqlw_ioqCtVdlardPLzg_Vqdn-d6DY38JT3I4KU3ceIGwGTUHTc3_0WYDQrJZJ1-2LGVTFCrf_VCMsKw0JCO7yJD81fxWSfzpMF_Iu3wxjP99GGMh3XArv0SA1wVqegfV0jvtcpwTD0Dr2auiGgXFM3Tic5VVYc3lkleaSaMbhFw/s1642/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%2011.45.22%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1642" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzZObp_d0T7wp0Uaqlw_ioqCtVdlardPLzg_Vqdn-d6DY38JT3I4KU3ceIGwGTUHTc3_0WYDQrJZJ1-2LGVTFCrf_VCMsKw0JCO7yJD81fxWSfzpMF_Iu3wxjP99GGMh3XArv0SA1wVqegfV0jvtcpwTD0Dr2auiGgXFM3Tic5VVYc3lkleaSaMbhFw/w687-h348/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%2011.45.22%20AM.png" width="687" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PRINT CREATURE FEATURE: A HORRID COMEDY AUDIOBOOK </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Well, as we head into Fall or Autumn (depending on what you call it) and move toward the horrors of Halloween, it’s time for Magpie Press to offer the ebook of </span><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy </i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">at the absolutely not scary but frighteningly low price of 99 cents. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">So, with the wave of a decomposing hand, Mr. Manfred Magpie has done so. </span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2IsGWFcWR5hUgEm5n7cBuG8gS3FstbiL_kKHvrG7968y96n7tnah7wh6iwiwamLsEOD5V7MQa8ZCGJUTesZs5JOOQuiPD-dtFlIlOyFkuufe9PDrQBxoJKenRgMCeNgieBO34By5JEpPnxHIkt5y7ppZCwqi5RArbJhdT8y1-NsR-MQqx6Z9KhIWnw/s2222/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%2011.59.15%20AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="2222" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2IsGWFcWR5hUgEm5n7cBuG8gS3FstbiL_kKHvrG7968y96n7tnah7wh6iwiwamLsEOD5V7MQa8ZCGJUTesZs5JOOQuiPD-dtFlIlOyFkuufe9PDrQBxoJKenRgMCeNgieBO34By5JEpPnxHIkt5y7ppZCwqi5RArbJhdT8y1-NsR-MQqx6Z9KhIWnw/w686-h225/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-19%20at%2011.59.15%20AM.png" width="686" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And Mr. Manfred Magpie commands me to inform you that if you buy the ebook </span><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy </i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">for your Kindle or Kindle Reader</span><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">for this ridiculous price of 99 cents (especially during inflation), Amazon will offer you the wonderfully produced (by Seamus Dever) and brilliantly acted (by Seamus Dever AND Juliana Dever) audiobook of same for only $7.49! </span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">As Seamus and Juliana did an absolutely wonderful job creating the audiobook of <i>Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy</i>, it would be HORRIBLE for good CREATURES to pass up this MONSTER deal.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amazon ebook <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y4zxh6kf"><span class="s2">https://tinyurl.com/y4zxh6kf</span></a></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amazon UK ebook <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y9zrg8xq"><span class="s2">https://tinyurl.com/y9zrg8xq</span></a></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amazon Australia ebook <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y6h56ozs"><span class="s2"><b>https://tinyurl.com/y6h56ozs</b></span></a></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Amazon Canada ebook </b><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y3zcqjh9"><span class="s2"><b>https://tinyurl.com/y3zcqjh9</b></span></a></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Amazon India ebook </b><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y5jghfqm"><span class="s2"><b>https://tinyurl.com/y5jghfqm</b></span></a></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amazon paperback <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y6gqyea7"><span class="s2">https://tinyurl.com/y6gqyea7</span></a></span></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a message from Seamus Dever—</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx0bZpymYpiD_rseUCdhb8JSVF69VkJz-u4OviVi2vh7WnZIM7K22vD4lWqq3Dtjhag1QbdJxXUmeuVFyjn0A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><span style="font-size: large;">And here's some of what people and publications and the internet have said about the book and the audiobook. Following that you will fine four fine samples from the audiobook for your listening pleasure.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Cheers! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Or, </span><span style="font-family: Vampiro One; font-size: x-large;">Chills! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Take your pick.<br /></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; 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font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPX26ile8XM7nPAwiaX63BwzERbLGfLRtsDzZWxuZsj6tG42RMK_1qeX-roJq9IjXA_eOMe9YLxHHK6mYiAvEufhJ-gYOadGIIJeoi907Tf9dXMMYnhAWs1ST9Rpf-hOISne-yZIaOIpJWVW71ZIyrUQwwZae753gEIdhMh0jhVPYSBNh1W3OeHCLqA/s1595/CF%20audio%20Newton%20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="1595" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPX26ile8XM7nPAwiaX63BwzERbLGfLRtsDzZWxuZsj6tG42RMK_1qeX-roJq9IjXA_eOMe9YLxHHK6mYiAvEufhJ-gYOadGIIJeoi907Tf9dXMMYnhAWs1ST9Rpf-hOISne-yZIaOIpJWVW71ZIyrUQwwZae753gEIdhMh0jhVPYSBNh1W3OeHCLqA/w640-h640/CF%20audio%20Newton%20.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; 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margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxd4WMV9SFYA-_XlyQj21ry8Xa0CRBxWPsPpli2ylb-g85aWLF-LcSzRAWsMre5J2iPfYqgo5hpWpklZJyvkg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyVoGOsgs2zZbUEYhlEr9TxUHFst_ySJ4CApwk1lrr5_ppiQnnuRt-JpWKwrAiMzmcuke8WBKHkXk2PRqvkHw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwAlta8L36j0CZVGK59eOe_XbCATfu3zDykPLcAEbXAv-fL-ZjM2-IGLPTeVGSDsyKGfLnGojKl954u9SKCmw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwHKGD0I4v3Vb3MmrxsjqcUhBp1q_l308P2GT0eTWGDVD66uUKp_G9KFK58wSDukj2CFlHc8oRb_H4vIlmPJQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span class="s1" style="color: black;"><br /></span><p></p></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-91248948234271945242022-08-09T08:56:00.000-07:002022-08-09T08:56:22.589-07:00HAPPILY REDUCED TO A CARICATURE <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagX0sUUyMs3Oec_Bc4kXqFXpftvM6ugHSR-wX2wnVatf2AxmCfKMvp0bCo-guP42Ypzx8n5l7Lchj1ax-kdOmVbjjp662l5dG9a5awrU46QYzMnk_keMqXXVq7g-ICRdwpxq4k-_5295khWRPPuGuI9wpkRNa5EXA1AUwKJWYIT3H2a_PTW1_vZS_6Q/s858/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-08%20at%201.56.33%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="858" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagX0sUUyMs3Oec_Bc4kXqFXpftvM6ugHSR-wX2wnVatf2AxmCfKMvp0bCo-guP42Ypzx8n5l7Lchj1ax-kdOmVbjjp662l5dG9a5awrU46QYzMnk_keMqXXVq7g-ICRdwpxq4k-_5295khWRPPuGuI9wpkRNa5EXA1AUwKJWYIT3H2a_PTW1_vZS_6Q/w640-h269/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-08%20at%201.56.33%20PM.png" width="640" /></span></a></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Recently <a href="http://www.johncanemaker.com/index.html">John Canemaker</a>, a New York-based animator, animation historian, and educator, asked me for a copy of a caricature he did of me in September 1979. I was his guest at his apartment while I was in town with famed Looney Tunes animation director <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Jones">Chuck Jones</a>. At the time, I did publicity for Chuck, and we were there for a screening at that year's New York Film Festival of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bugs_Bunny/Road_Runner_Movie">The Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Movie</a>.</i> It was a compilation of some of Chuck's classic cartoons tied together with new animation of a reminiscing Bugs. The caricature was of me, in a bathrobe, reporting to Chuck on my PR efforts. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In looking for the copy in my files, I found several caricatures of me done by various animation artists during my first years in the industry from 1979 to 1984. Why the hell did I save them? Ego, pure ego.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Animators love to draw caricatures. And often, if you are near them, you'll find yourself the subject—sometimes the victim—of their flashing pencils and pens. I was always happy to become one. Why? Ego, pure ego.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, actually, I've always been an admirer of the ability of an artist to capture a personality in pencil and pen renderings. To one who can't do it, it always seems like magic. But, of course, it is not magic; it is natural talent honed by training and practice. Which is what we admire. Magic, if it did exist, would be no more worthy of admiration than a spring rain. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rather than let these renderings continue to live only in the dark in my old yellow file cabinet, I thought I would bring them out into the digital light. And so, here they are.</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksjqrvEBTjAj-0-OQz-AkHU_obY4eOkfBbBHGXkALfEzorBBnMf8LYB__nAxO0sm9LmTHImtpugs0CyOZTh-BKbpkUI5uGhf2dEZJI14aIwycxHcppaemH8P_edXXfyfZCOjKY-qGQAZxM9TNkUjAUxdv4ORwnLU7X4_Gzg99zjKx54CA6m7Pu4Al9Q/s800/sunset_vine_tower_architectural_rendering.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="612" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksjqrvEBTjAj-0-OQz-AkHU_obY4eOkfBbBHGXkALfEzorBBnMf8LYB__nAxO0sm9LmTHImtpugs0CyOZTh-BKbpkUI5uGhf2dEZJI14aIwycxHcppaemH8P_edXXfyfZCOjKY-qGQAZxM9TNkUjAUxdv4ORwnLU7X4_Gzg99zjKx54CA6m7Pu4Al9Q/w153-h200/sunset_vine_tower_architectural_rendering.jpeg" width="153" /></span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This first one is by Chuck Jones from July of 1979. If I remember right, he probably did it while I was in his office at the Sunset/Vine Tower, which is now a bunch of condos in the sky. </span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmPkMfdWa1fM_oUJLsl77yACgofW_anV0hlmBNpICKLXbxsTiCjkTocSRsHA_UitFQaEcmsDdYfucTbUci04FIwhIcgbw3wp9EJRWG1h6BJA03Mb9Q8cQcqRjhAQF8GXYzu61oggV5uPDAx-n0Tynp4lj4hFAdSAYb9S2cYD9dcSVa1IpDp44Oso62Q/s4005/A%20Chuck%20Jones%207-24-79.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4005" data-original-width="3136" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmPkMfdWa1fM_oUJLsl77yACgofW_anV0hlmBNpICKLXbxsTiCjkTocSRsHA_UitFQaEcmsDdYfucTbUci04FIwhIcgbw3wp9EJRWG1h6BJA03Mb9Q8cQcqRjhAQF8GXYzu61oggV5uPDAx-n0Tynp4lj4hFAdSAYb9S2cYD9dcSVa1IpDp44Oso62Q/w502-h640/A%20Chuck%20Jones%207-24-79.jpeg" width="502" /></a><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I was probably meeting with Chuck, or possibly just chatting. In either case, he saw me as bowing my head—in reverence, most likely.</span><br /></span><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This next one is not really a direct caricature of me, but it is of a phone conversation I had in London in April of 1979. This was when Chuck and I were in London for his "season" at the British Film Institute. A "season" was an examination of a filmmaker and his work. This may have been the first public screening of <i>The Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Movie</i>. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At this moment, I was visiting the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Williams_(animator)">Richard Williams</a> Studio (Richard was also a client of mine) in Soho Square. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="554" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87wP07svCIwnPRAtvwjbh9-pKDqkqNylFEMGYs35AZoVyXtq6-jRNzYT13WIaHJ6is01FipVyoHBOrPPhUbmsHkNy3FFsU-4z6CsZO8SMtGB-DxjIxy7tIoa9oMel001gFU_ZdoR9fOzH7Mx4UoakVP3B0k_mI0RsKt88Et9lbP_ZAb0lJTFi__kUzQ/w222-h320/428817_310320399064804_903547491_n.jpeg" width="222" /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was in animator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Goldberg_(animator)">Eric Goldberg</a>'s office having a phone conversation with someone from a TV or radio chat show that Chuck had been booked on. This drawing by Eric accurately depicts my frustration in trying to explain what the heck a roadrunner was to the very British person on the other end of the line. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6HeTqJTwrph54hRVErU91vsYPmeE8AlULthLf1ppIiWnetVOfblBoNh-lHsVWP_davNvvcxTKncYZ2IlmgA3D8Dkbtif9AoJ9A45KtNoTg0bTTReTQNBIpKidaYWFPEnvRnYyIjuuBhdxkCEpkYA8xOMVXPBBsFdQLdJ3rF3XjXqNP-4Ke_ZsHx1hw/s582/AA%20Goldberg%20Mickey%20and%20Bugs%202%201979.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="582" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6HeTqJTwrph54hRVErU91vsYPmeE8AlULthLf1ppIiWnetVOfblBoNh-lHsVWP_davNvvcxTKncYZ2IlmgA3D8Dkbtif9AoJ9A45KtNoTg0bTTReTQNBIpKidaYWFPEnvRnYyIjuuBhdxkCEpkYA8xOMVXPBBsFdQLdJ3rF3XjXqNP-4Ke_ZsHx1hw/w640-h464/AA%20Goldberg%20Mickey%20and%20Bugs%202%201979.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Eric, by the way, later in life, was the lead animator of the Genie in Disney's <i>Aladdin</i>. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The following two are by animators working for two of my publicity clients with whom I would spend time. I think Dave Bennett worked for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Reinert">Rick Reinert</a> Productions, and John McGuire was on a project with Chuck Jones.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDkQcgE-HWHb5cLRdWMo28vY-yNSgZ8M4VePJldmc2e178jEVrBmmqhuPmoJsHDgIsGxmJVfjCcxg3qtFpJFCAXre7yhcqeoY11bGd46Fa8oHoNArFlDQXr-H6S7uFqR4vLY7R7swbcZj1Yy0autLHqJXNhNpDVrAOTz0HQf7UlrAYtmsVi_hel7EVA/s3286/C%20Dave%20Bennett%207-12-79.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3079" data-original-width="3286" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDkQcgE-HWHb5cLRdWMo28vY-yNSgZ8M4VePJldmc2e178jEVrBmmqhuPmoJsHDgIsGxmJVfjCcxg3qtFpJFCAXre7yhcqeoY11bGd46Fa8oHoNArFlDQXr-H6S7uFqR4vLY7R7swbcZj1Yy0autLHqJXNhNpDVrAOTz0HQf7UlrAYtmsVi_hel7EVA/w640-h600/C%20Dave%20Bennett%207-12-79.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnahjqxoJGpwrIjJI4zxBSRkYZyBMLtT0CQVfF6EbQo3ZDYL5d1Dc65t8Z7VT-D9W3vicfqwjF6iwEriZ-3K-WbtYGoiSktw7JBMNxmtuQIRBUoFn3aaFpDo6UNwLasdvd5LuJPZu0xIrIy_WnTtygxj6igkWwQHkHbaRVpJPwR4xB0BbeX3QrpiTgg/s3214/D%20John%20McGuire%207-26-79.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3121" data-original-width="3214" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnahjqxoJGpwrIjJI4zxBSRkYZyBMLtT0CQVfF6EbQo3ZDYL5d1Dc65t8Z7VT-D9W3vicfqwjF6iwEriZ-3K-WbtYGoiSktw7JBMNxmtuQIRBUoFn3aaFpDo6UNwLasdvd5LuJPZu0xIrIy_WnTtygxj6igkWwQHkHbaRVpJPwR4xB0BbeX3QrpiTgg/w640-h622/D%20John%20McGuire%207-26-79.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I refer you to the definition of "caricature" above. Dave and John shamelessly exaggerated what my mother called just being "pleasingly plump." A boy's best friend, you know. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And here is John Canemaker's 1979 <i>Tub-thumper in Bathrobe in the Early Morn</i>. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElaoSZL6Os5Fa5sLf5Y2IiEMIiAmvnYS1DJDuvDN1MKxaL7oIgDHjnq_6PGMltBkWbwn3v1uuRM4fxenhh5FsQ2clQM3k0b1xUILrW5fmZEn--vaoMyPp1_G5ZWY4_JYcS98HML_PHbbQlF9jL4KAn2d16R5v8uREo9pFhRKRFg1OFAIvy6RiSf2h9g/s2048/DD%20%2012309541_10153474404623462_5356586812836261334_o.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="2048" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElaoSZL6Os5Fa5sLf5Y2IiEMIiAmvnYS1DJDuvDN1MKxaL7oIgDHjnq_6PGMltBkWbwn3v1uuRM4fxenhh5FsQ2clQM3k0b1xUILrW5fmZEn--vaoMyPp1_G5ZWY4_JYcS98HML_PHbbQlF9jL4KAn2d16R5v8uREo9pFhRKRFg1OFAIvy6RiSf2h9g/w640-h490/DD%20%2012309541_10153474404623462_5356586812836261334_o.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And another by John. Drawn a year later when I was in New York again for a business trip. This time with Richard Williams I believe. Williams, by the way, later directed the animation for <i>Who Framed Roger Rabbit.</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQL1unNYspDMLVPQ-mYiMxYpBIpU0moucXSyI3AudUfoptBG3C2UP2XadQkbLLOpurLfRnx9SmnuppONkxZYQ6TgbkhK_KSeItlZKRGpue8eEY2s_1Sh6qxVfjDjB_6u1KMm-SfPsveiJKOq_XuLZyQoQtFJZjlSM5B-LQi-qvImWu2NTdGwcfnsXKA/s1699/E%20IMG_0399%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1699" data-original-width="1319" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQL1unNYspDMLVPQ-mYiMxYpBIpU0moucXSyI3AudUfoptBG3C2UP2XadQkbLLOpurLfRnx9SmnuppONkxZYQ6TgbkhK_KSeItlZKRGpue8eEY2s_1Sh6qxVfjDjB_6u1KMm-SfPsveiJKOq_XuLZyQoQtFJZjlSM5B-LQi-qvImWu2NTdGwcfnsXKA/w496-h640/E%20IMG_0399%20(1).jpeg" width="496" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was, at this time, moving out of publicity and into producing. In that capacity, in January of 1981, I was back in New York. This time with Brad Bird and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Kurtz">Gary Kurtz</a>. We were there with meetings I had set up with the great comic book creator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Eisner">Will Eisner</a>. We were negotiating to secure the animation rights to his brilliant character, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_(comics_character)">The Spirit</a>. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOgQlLO80fgnkfViF4u-czoxwRzXDMS9Wxm1Uhl41sB0oYl9oVZ0SJMacFvaU4cu79RBIIbP2ahigfkpd9pVLu0uGNfHzZTrSo96ld0BEdbvlYvvWeBFJGFfy2wfrVfDpzitPN01-Mov7Jh4MZDbKAZGwS46Sp9ZBRC3J598nkqeTnvpKxBXF_vkRSw/s2560/91LpmV990KL.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1673" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOgQlLO80fgnkfViF4u-czoxwRzXDMS9Wxm1Uhl41sB0oYl9oVZ0SJMacFvaU4cu79RBIIbP2ahigfkpd9pVLu0uGNfHzZTrSo96ld0BEdbvlYvvWeBFJGFfy2wfrVfDpzitPN01-Mov7Jh4MZDbKAZGwS46Sp9ZBRC3J598nkqeTnvpKxBXF_vkRSw/w210-h320/91LpmV990KL.jpeg" width="210" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This piece by Brad Bird he did, as he captions, while we were flying home.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtf5NZ8EG5ik9xdPNVtBLu3Lj1w6q26fUIPKShh7fTRzdHBJwCiTsvhJ0Ww0oLZef8xfcoyQcXLXsGa-zw39wnzKstzpf8N0APUV315kQr5ttnqiLzrNMVHcsAebHSUV0cgEh3SkxCX7aAB5sgKoQjx_n6hUDU6aYxsmfx2FhgMHIWb9IH31zpyvgHQ/s497/F%20ME%20SPIRIT%20SONDHEIM%20BIRD%201981%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtf5NZ8EG5ik9xdPNVtBLu3Lj1w6q26fUIPKShh7fTRzdHBJwCiTsvhJ0Ww0oLZef8xfcoyQcXLXsGa-zw39wnzKstzpf8N0APUV315kQr5ttnqiLzrNMVHcsAebHSUV0cgEh3SkxCX7aAB5sgKoQjx_n6hUDU6aYxsmfx2FhgMHIWb9IH31zpyvgHQ/w516-h640/F%20ME%20SPIRIT%20SONDHEIM%20BIRD%201981%20(1).jpeg" width="516" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gary Kurtz, of course, had previously produced <i>American Grafitti</i> and the first two <i>Star Wars</i> films. I don't know what the hell ever happened to Bird.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I became an executive in Gary Kurtz's Kinetographics film company, I was tasked with assembling an American animation team for a Japanese-American co-production that Gary was producing with the Japanese animation company TMS. One of the directors from TMS was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki">Hayao Miyazaki</a>, who later became HAYAO MIYAZAKI. One day I shocked his very Japanese core when I gave him my philosophy about sushi: </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Bebas Neue; font-size: large;"><b><i>The only thing that should eat a raw fish—is another raw fish.</i> </b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thus this quick caricature of me that he did.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq4TMGKXyk9mRTDRPEcSPjeF4m9SUZwe3GDxzn3LZt5wxGzIfDDLKJbWSWBE-11AVH5N3CzW2yl4JMn3HrbUvYxDJb8xbrVYfb0rGBTK3FdytcgGKyG21Uufwe5KygmfZC8QqFQQaxiX1THVoRmTu5VAP_CaY5wQrDc-8QSoFj16OLs0ZImu8smRObQ/s604/FF%20Hayao%20Miyazaki%20drawing%20of%20me.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="555" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq4TMGKXyk9mRTDRPEcSPjeF4m9SUZwe3GDxzn3LZt5wxGzIfDDLKJbWSWBE-11AVH5N3CzW2yl4JMn3HrbUvYxDJb8xbrVYfb0rGBTK3FdytcgGKyG21Uufwe5KygmfZC8QqFQQaxiX1THVoRmTu5VAP_CaY5wQrDc-8QSoFj16OLs0ZImu8smRObQ/w588-h640/FF%20Hayao%20Miyazaki%20drawing%20of%20me.jpeg" width="588" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I traveled to London in 1982 to meet with Richard Williams. Gary Kurtz was contemplating getting involved in Richard's animated feature <i>The Thief and the Cobbler</i>. It was a production looking for financing, and Gary was interested in helping. He wanted me to assess the current state of the production and my opinion of its potential. When Richard, who had previously known me as a low-cost publicist wearing thrift store sports coats, saw me in my handsome new London Fog foul-weather coat, he quickly drew this view of the new me. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqR0thPzxXAwRqKoGSdNE7e_J1uNw1Cs-9rSdEuf5jWZ4s4oDrkGe5yimIAir9N3ZmxZhzP5rIsMYDI9YUTvqcIzPUDBpKKhfYtjzIdwGDIMAaqekVquiOdLq4DNxyI9NA-IuuYwUR4vxT_vzioGGqGHbvtIWWQ2CVrKwHpDN6lyQAr42OoMct1YAmg/s1769/FFA%20%20RW%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1769" data-original-width="1276" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqR0thPzxXAwRqKoGSdNE7e_J1uNw1Cs-9rSdEuf5jWZ4s4oDrkGe5yimIAir9N3ZmxZhzP5rIsMYDI9YUTvqcIzPUDBpKKhfYtjzIdwGDIMAaqekVquiOdLq4DNxyI9NA-IuuYwUR4vxT_vzioGGqGHbvtIWWQ2CVrKwHpDN6lyQAr42OoMct1YAmg/w462-h640/FFA%20%20RW%20(1).jpeg" width="462" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Japanese-American co-production with TMS was based on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winsor_McCay">Winsor McCay</a>'s early 20th Century newspaper comic strip, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Nemo">Little Nemo in Slumberland.</a></i> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZQYIAmeL_mF9GuIQrX3iaNlIM-pBHDtVZZeRLeuM8Lv52vDZAaJcDq2QtHZoTeW6RUt-42Jv8deCPxM9nF8NFoRia5T3u19bsHv6_bxR8-GCo5sio4YcKRMzsA6zyb10kN0dCrNM9ZD_jcrO-y4mY2w85yUQYFC9fT2wKD5s6GusB7w4c8xH5Rsx_g/s1358/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-08%20at%203.17.27%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1358" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZQYIAmeL_mF9GuIQrX3iaNlIM-pBHDtVZZeRLeuM8Lv52vDZAaJcDq2QtHZoTeW6RUt-42Jv8deCPxM9nF8NFoRia5T3u19bsHv6_bxR8-GCo5sio4YcKRMzsA6zyb10kN0dCrNM9ZD_jcrO-y4mY2w85yUQYFC9fT2wKD5s6GusB7w4c8xH5Rsx_g/w640-h326/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-08%20at%203.17.27%20PM.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the talents I found and hired for the production included: <a href="https://animationguild.org/oral_history/andy-gaskill/">Andy Gaskill</a> as our American co-director; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Allers">Roger Allers</a> and <a href="http://www.robinbuddanimation.com/meet-robin">Robin Budd</a> as our animation directors; and <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/norton_virgien">Norton Virgien</a> as our production manager. Roger later co-wrote and co-directed Disney's <i>The Lion King,</i> and Andy worked on the story and was the art director for the film. Robin Budd became a successful animation director for Canadian animated TV series. And Norton Virgien became one of the directors of the <i>Rugrats</i> series, co-director of <i>The Rugrats Movie</i>, and a producer on many projects. All very talented guys. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Nemo (which is what we called it—never "Little Nemo") film we were all working on was never made. A <i>Little Nemo in Slumberland</i> film was later made by TMS without Gary Kurtz. The less said about that film, the better. Nevertheless, it was an interesting two years with these very talented guys. And Amanda Martin, the lovely lady who was my assistant and later my lovely wife. And, of course, Gary Kurtz and Roberta Jimenez, who was handling marketing and later became Gary's wife.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ANDY GASKILL WITH CHILD</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg690vmgFsF9StoGpr0v7gkt8wByeSrcNqGn_WltSgTnINLWFBqwnw4msXbDA4s04gLoRe0c1zC9l4Xsrcr39ZHYl5GVwm-Em2gqyaNk4P3hfoAT3J4FocjrCpVXZYq_p_3lNsoeY1BPy8WgG-h7gHEUmFcLt3X9J-9G0qyMjF3JWiHZhUYEm0F1K9Dng/s638/andy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="638" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg690vmgFsF9StoGpr0v7gkt8wByeSrcNqGn_WltSgTnINLWFBqwnw4msXbDA4s04gLoRe0c1zC9l4Xsrcr39ZHYl5GVwm-Em2gqyaNk4P3hfoAT3J4FocjrCpVXZYq_p_3lNsoeY1BPy8WgG-h7gHEUmFcLt3X9J-9G0qyMjF3JWiHZhUYEm0F1K9Dng/w400-h266/andy.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">ROGER ALLERS WITH CHILD</div></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzEUJIMfXrFkHKJW8gnRXL2ufkRDayScJPzOxSRo8MlnaNAnXXoGwM962fWHJ2QMhIftLDbxIObmsso8AxpyWESYKNtqm3v9wO5YZp8LVhHNhZ9HogiUqtkdY4XAp54wpK48_N9VY9q5mix1B6ZEQ9r0KWhO1of03OHa5hsCXpk9T77bH4kOF7V4xBg/s688/roger.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="688" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzEUJIMfXrFkHKJW8gnRXL2ufkRDayScJPzOxSRo8MlnaNAnXXoGwM962fWHJ2QMhIftLDbxIObmsso8AxpyWESYKNtqm3v9wO5YZp8LVhHNhZ9HogiUqtkdY4XAp54wpK48_N9VY9q5mix1B6ZEQ9r0KWhO1of03OHa5hsCXpk9T77bH4kOF7V4xBg/w400-h279/roger.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ROBIN BUDD</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb2L4AypoYEulZnul3A15NtzryucNmqGFQWV2BODKbC0peBrGAd2ijrgiY4zZyzn9UIoqfNywTl3ZUTebzwBzm2_225Z1HVoZ86SiHeVQCmNbShJO0iofKEI9XHJJfkIAwhRP1Cn_Vp0EH-ieD_Dl5yNRCHv1L64NhYG8ujazIJcqNY1J9AtxrspbtQ/s678/robin.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="678" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb2L4AypoYEulZnul3A15NtzryucNmqGFQWV2BODKbC0peBrGAd2ijrgiY4zZyzn9UIoqfNywTl3ZUTebzwBzm2_225Z1HVoZ86SiHeVQCmNbShJO0iofKEI9XHJJfkIAwhRP1Cn_Vp0EH-ieD_Dl5yNRCHv1L64NhYG8ujazIJcqNY1J9AtxrspbtQ/w400-h261/robin.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">NORTON VIRGIEN</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHirI1DpSRwNREmSOTMCaujlbnZH5Hyu2EJf4VimETufiPgbfitiZG886Tt90EnjkcfFOmnXgXze3yoLF_dwpvRxYaR2vVT26h3EV3ccTu2CP99x4o9QUIvuevkYQ4VTy1DzEysrESCUSLKHldnCQYsGwyyOE5CdQTYD3GzQbbN6n3Z4ESBrvsBZ_5w/s420/Norton.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="420" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHirI1DpSRwNREmSOTMCaujlbnZH5Hyu2EJf4VimETufiPgbfitiZG886Tt90EnjkcfFOmnXgXze3yoLF_dwpvRxYaR2vVT26h3EV3ccTu2CP99x4o9QUIvuevkYQ4VTy1DzEysrESCUSLKHldnCQYsGwyyOE5CdQTYD3GzQbbN6n3Z4ESBrvsBZ_5w/w400-h294/Norton.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> THE LOVELY AMANDA MARTIN</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQz6aXrnnmJfzI1TdSWZlcnFd2S9EjgR59gWLHZg0KVx7KHAwVibErvZFsQMM0hvkYC-mRDbtmJOhL654m4V4uJIlhgw6v_yu0ZX7sZAYU_UT2yPziL9SCZKEczSkqzV5HADCgHKsxU0UoIHxexTTf5LpLHE2_JOF99DE24SDW9QDv3PdA2dhzRzjHg/s590/1917517_385947133461_6877807_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="590" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQz6aXrnnmJfzI1TdSWZlcnFd2S9EjgR59gWLHZg0KVx7KHAwVibErvZFsQMM0hvkYC-mRDbtmJOhL654m4V4uJIlhgw6v_yu0ZX7sZAYU_UT2yPziL9SCZKEczSkqzV5HADCgHKsxU0UoIHxexTTf5LpLHE2_JOF99DE24SDW9QDv3PdA2dhzRzjHg/w400-h269/1917517_385947133461_6877807_n.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">GARY KURTZ AND ROBERTA JIMENEZ</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGzEP34gIRHEXsOpOXNhiyvPWND_FNRtb6lOpCPyzYDAe3G7Jf8R0qqTZT1zJn75B8apgreFxAq_yDzzNL_cQk3LZD4oPcIQ-tFseo-Qm2Q-UXdRoVZqDmsJRF4PrbthHwY0TZJCTWS6nILbkgyPNLU0L3lvwSam1qJJXoqxRdXo-xjTSNBDw0NKeXA/s486/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-08%20at%203.51.21%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="436" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGzEP34gIRHEXsOpOXNhiyvPWND_FNRtb6lOpCPyzYDAe3G7Jf8R0qqTZT1zJn75B8apgreFxAq_yDzzNL_cQk3LZD4oPcIQ-tFseo-Qm2Q-UXdRoVZqDmsJRF4PrbthHwY0TZJCTWS6nILbkgyPNLU0L3lvwSam1qJJXoqxRdXo-xjTSNBDw0NKeXA/w359-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-08%20at%203.51.21%20PM.png" width="359" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">During the two years that I was on the project, It was Andy who did most of the caricatures of these guys and me.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This first one is a mock Nemo comic strip Andy did as a birthday greeting faxed to Gary Kurtz, who was in London. Gary was splitting his time between our production and the London productions he was involved in. This piece makes a none-too-subtle note of that.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdwsXKWwnMcRYBRAnlrgT0zJwrftmcXFvI3bv-67wCpdzmhaOmHDKyRXT2h8JWJKMnZ7vqSLTzKY9ARpInhF5tguWO9M5C0RKuY6boRboK0tAuhq9w5FfOlN8TKlHNqDTc_dFrYwzS8T-rh0PKvAHZc1DvD1bD6bSx4lDVWsN_JzfDSrGF7-y2mxEwQ/s3464/G%20Gaskill%20Slumberland.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="2140" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdwsXKWwnMcRYBRAnlrgT0zJwrftmcXFvI3bv-67wCpdzmhaOmHDKyRXT2h8JWJKMnZ7vqSLTzKY9ARpInhF5tguWO9M5C0RKuY6boRboK0tAuhq9w5FfOlN8TKlHNqDTc_dFrYwzS8T-rh0PKvAHZc1DvD1bD6bSx4lDVWsN_JzfDSrGF7-y2mxEwQ/w395-h640/G%20Gaskill%20Slumberland.jpeg" width="395" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Next is a birthday greeting faxed to me when we were still based in Hollywood before moving to Japan. I was obviously on a trip. Either to Tokyo for meetings or to London trip to see Richard Williams. It has greetings by many of the American Nemo group, including the great <a href="https://raybradbury.com/">Ray Bradbury</a>, who was working with us.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdr6-Mx25I5DcQiBgcHr9jdqqbw2CfItjP3q6pHda-2oHESnPGxdgcF8JB6A0nSbxwz7RwIbKuFPLWMagbr5PRFcK-4CQniJjE2EYaHcEKM1HQdStJSF7pTIOlW11S4xLEA-yXV_Ek6DBFIRUyuCZ0AHNi-Y5uPiCDDTaUscYOQby8qAxsHxaiG83jQ/s1714/GG%20Nemo%20bday%20fax%20to%20Steven%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1714" data-original-width="1045" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdr6-Mx25I5DcQiBgcHr9jdqqbw2CfItjP3q6pHda-2oHESnPGxdgcF8JB6A0nSbxwz7RwIbKuFPLWMagbr5PRFcK-4CQniJjE2EYaHcEKM1HQdStJSF7pTIOlW11S4xLEA-yXV_Ek6DBFIRUyuCZ0AHNi-Y5uPiCDDTaUscYOQby8qAxsHxaiG83jQ/w390-h640/GG%20Nemo%20bday%20fax%20to%20Steven%20(1).jpeg" width="390" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is Andy's view of Gary, me, him, and Roberta as characters from the Nemo strip. Andy is Little Nemo, I'm Flip, Gary is King Morpheus, and Roberta is the Princess.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjF-v6ohzVuiuCEK0oS_Se5KfGUueVSm723xbKVKRiDcALySgXH99xYEoY0tf9uxn6NubB8vDSuRkpvjDsi3aHZyceDsoQuQtxw3PlGCQONDdOye2jmIPrLEVSNZmCmbV-pdCtHziJaaO0njgFbG6e-MVhRYeFdn3lPMiror6j4wj07agb0Lv9VcBpcA/s3560/H%20Gaskill%204-19-84.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3560" data-original-width="3264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjF-v6ohzVuiuCEK0oS_Se5KfGUueVSm723xbKVKRiDcALySgXH99xYEoY0tf9uxn6NubB8vDSuRkpvjDsi3aHZyceDsoQuQtxw3PlGCQONDdOye2jmIPrLEVSNZmCmbV-pdCtHziJaaO0njgFbG6e-MVhRYeFdn3lPMiror6j4wj07agb0Lv9VcBpcA/w586-h640/H%20Gaskill%204-19-84.jpeg" width="586" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Andy loved placing us in the Nemo grab. Here the Princess is being "played" by Amanda.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_xFq8G0NgPKyJ5sHuAq-1TFdxUUO8hMr2rcOb34KfrejOh3sCswN5sELtZSAXgAlxKQ-F3zxG1T7KafbaVT_QWbgT5_ymUCfCpWoNP4uOTpP87f5z3UOJi2gdieoxqjsIJy2zTdOSsaHlBax3Kd-knwB6PZ1OBR-gYuZHgK3s-wavZlaxL5XX5vcSw/s2796/I%20Gaskill%20with%20AFM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1923" data-original-width="2796" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_xFq8G0NgPKyJ5sHuAq-1TFdxUUO8hMr2rcOb34KfrejOh3sCswN5sELtZSAXgAlxKQ-F3zxG1T7KafbaVT_QWbgT5_ymUCfCpWoNP4uOTpP87f5z3UOJi2gdieoxqjsIJy2zTdOSsaHlBax3Kd-knwB6PZ1OBR-gYuZHgK3s-wavZlaxL5XX5vcSw/w640-h440/I%20Gaskill%20with%20AFM.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm including this last one because it was in the file folder. It is a commercial caricature of me, obviously done at Disneyland. It proves that when you pay for a caricature, you come out looking not half so bad.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRqxOhNMO_Yl7rCCdv6WAU_0TOWiwnmU4SMI_YRrg8wDKlP94xgRQP2ZB-0h_Ujj3peAoHQabdxg3Lj0jBTMil4P6Hlw9p8uCzerOn2vIWevXEB-NivoO-xNTiX_2z5enxUTo9m2ZczdbQocoTGwb645DI27_T71t_eqXr9ODtRv52lboN7_XdjCGmw/s3982/M%20Disneyland%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3982" data-original-width="3213" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRqxOhNMO_Yl7rCCdv6WAU_0TOWiwnmU4SMI_YRrg8wDKlP94xgRQP2ZB-0h_Ujj3peAoHQabdxg3Lj0jBTMil4P6Hlw9p8uCzerOn2vIWevXEB-NivoO-xNTiX_2z5enxUTo9m2ZczdbQocoTGwb645DI27_T71t_eqXr9ODtRv52lboN7_XdjCGmw/w516-h640/M%20Disneyland%202.jpeg" width="516" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I like this one because it captures the current me doing what I do and being what I am. </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cheers to all!</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you wish to visit my Amazon Authors page you can do so by clicking here:</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Steven-Paul-Leiva/e/B001JS27EO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="2700" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39MUSEQ5Y5rfCmzKjU1Kj8pDHi8ggtvlC171Knss-IKRs1NZLA8GaD1F73-WVZ2Kb-mHbDeNKyJHqFYqKGbBbiNH0E7cireBkyp_X9F2BYhH2mooCdF1nc5TijNGCQ0eZig2u5O_2M9ZelYUXXdbFYJTIflxcdynxqhDB1Rry0UBTLz0md3z6Bs55DQ/w640-h180/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-09%20at%208.48.05%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And you can find out all about my books here: </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1982" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiY5_jmWwkMD6UAsN_rPz9X-unBedaTMl0oIXjjVsjvgH00AFxSreM3VmYinFCBpB9zU4le5TQXEmrhSS-JTIbYq_12hIsspogThIC4mKSkaxcPUssME38j2tKD-ijfx80p578HAsHsL4mEaoT4TTCvQfDV7zh5nhJEKt1i4-xY07hXk7Y_k0emk1Sw/w400-h258/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-09%20at%208.50.51%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-24961158646141316832022-07-30T14:35:00.001-07:002022-07-30T14:35:44.177-07:00CONSIDERING "THE LOVE/HAIGHT CASE FILES" BY RABE AND BINGLE<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKFAsOlndXzRuCX76D368dZJvNeLciKWEhffJhKU-pT4Bv-xwhmICvkh4caUh7xXLg2dp2PZdYyRCwYuKtYD_OASllDQBKoWZSB0rbCCrbHXqRJdLmyf-ksMSCoC2Kj7j5vf-x5B9pw7c7hJu2QtYHz8SBKbQ9R24UMU2xBfdg_QCsgY6--8BdV0idw/s1522/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-30%20at%202.09.58%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1522" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKFAsOlndXzRuCX76D368dZJvNeLciKWEhffJhKU-pT4Bv-xwhmICvkh4caUh7xXLg2dp2PZdYyRCwYuKtYD_OASllDQBKoWZSB0rbCCrbHXqRJdLmyf-ksMSCoC2Kj7j5vf-x5B9pw7c7hJu2QtYHz8SBKbQ9R24UMU2xBfdg_QCsgY6--8BdV0idw/w640-h454/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-30%20at%202.09.58%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></span></p></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Horror seems to be a popular genre these days. In novels. In film entertainment. In videogames. In the January 6th Congressional Committee Hearings. I’ve never quite understood why. All those monsters and creatures, zombies; creepy crawlers; ghosts; irradiated mutants; vampires, and stitched-together, re-animated, inarticulate, ungraceful stompers over the landscape never held much of an appeal for me, if “appeal” is the proper word. But then, as I’ve previously written, <a href="https://gingernutsofhorror.com/features/my-mother-never-let-me-watch-monster-movies-when-i-was-a-kid-by-steven-paul-leiva"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;">my mother never let me watch monster movies when I was a kid</span></a>. So I was not inculcated in my tender years with what many have told me is delicious fright. But, no matter how delicious, fear does not seem to me to be that appetizing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">All that said, I did write a horror novel, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CPS7VGD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;"><i>Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy</i></span></a>. Albeit, as the subtitle suggests, a satiric and comic one—which is the only excuse I can offer.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Given the above, imagine my dismay when I learned that Jean Rabe and Donald J. Bingle, two authors I admire, have brought forth from their fertile and creative minds <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Haight-Case-Files-Books-Other-Than-Human-ebook/dp/B0B1JNGHZ3/ref=sr_1_3?crid=C6GDOSVJRRAH&keywords=The+Love%2FHaight+Case+Files&qid=1659128319&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+love%2Fhaight+case+files%2Cdigital-text%2C130&sr=1-3"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;"><i>The Love/Haight Case Files</i></span></a><i>, </i>currently contained in two books.<i> </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Haight-Case-Files-Book-Supernatural-ebook/dp/B098J8L6W5/ref=sr_1_2?crid=C6GDOSVJRRAH&keywords=The+Love%2FHaight+Case+Files&qid=1659128427&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+love%2Fhaight+case+files%2Cdigital-text%2C130&sr=1-2"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;"><i>Book 1: Seeking Supernatural Justice</i></span></a><i> </i>and<i> </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Haight-Case-Files-Book-Other-Than-Human-ebook/dp/B098K6SG49/ref=sr_1_1?crid=C6GDOSVJRRAH&keywords=The+Love%2FHaight+Case+Files&qid=1659128427&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+love%2Fhaight+case+files%2Cdigital-text%2C130&sr=1-1"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;"><i>Book 2 Fighting for Other-Than-Human Rights.</i></span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Supernatural? Other-than-human? This did not bode well for me.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But I had nothing to fear. The books are generously populated with ghosts (including one who is a lead character), vampires, werewolves, zombies, living stone gargoyles, not to mention more obscure (to me, at least) waterborne creatures. But the interconnected tales (four in each book) that are the Love/Haight case files do not frighten you with their supernatural characters. But instead, with the oppression, discrimination, and injustice these characters suffer at the hands of bigots, haters, and monied interests, all of whom are the real monsters in these tales. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The premise of the two books is simple. Magic has returned to the world, and supernatural creatures—once thought only the stuff of legend and myth-making—are now quite natural. For some reason, many of them have congregated in the Bay Area around San Francisco. Well, it is a lovely city. And being immigrants and refugees, they are facing a barrier of prejudice and discrimination put up by some of the locals.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who you going to call? Well, obviously, not the Ghostbusters. But rather lawyers Thomas Brock and Evelyn Love. Thomas starts out living but quickly becomes a ghost in the first book. Evelyn is a newly-minted but brilliant attorney. Although they are both humans (even if one is dead), they are appalled by the injustices thrown upon the backs of the prejudicially dubbed Other-Than-Humans or OTs.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, if these are not horror stories, what are they? Why, legal procedural/urban fantasies, of course. And within these stories, you will find fine points of the law, danger, excitement, sadness, humor, and hints of romance among what may become a most unusual mixed couple. And wonderful people—or possibly better said, personalities—to spend time with. All of which combine into two excellent reads, indeed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>The Love/Haight Case Files</i> are, of course, big metaphors for the world as it is. Prejudice and hate endeavor to make monsters out of a host of “others” but only succeed in making monsters out of those who spew it out. Rabe and Bingle humanize the non-humans in these fantasies. And thereby implicitly exposing the horror of dehumanizing humans in reality.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You can often find the truth about authors in their work. But, for the facts, let’s turn to Jean’s and Don’s official bios from their websites.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://jeanrabe.com/"><span style="font-size: medium;">ABOUT JEAN RABE</span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnbGLEaU8xwHwobQPXl-9c6Gd7kPmicJiFuVbXVDOnbF_6eT_vRH_dUPc6sRmNMw9CsusXhTDiFyhRany4LJJ1AekxoaBspfc3M9CWoRfc9h1DC2XPn5zYOYqR_QEfK5BFN_ZR3ZaJXUN46oSiQmxyRuZahoQptgJNMyLZ9btRlI5mJy9bZBz3XrAhw/s1280/26233168_10215108338648155_8077470841363932577_o.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1279" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnbGLEaU8xwHwobQPXl-9c6Gd7kPmicJiFuVbXVDOnbF_6eT_vRH_dUPc6sRmNMw9CsusXhTDiFyhRany4LJJ1AekxoaBspfc3M9CWoRfc9h1DC2XPn5zYOYqR_QEfK5BFN_ZR3ZaJXUN46oSiQmxyRuZahoQptgJNMyLZ9btRlI5mJy9bZBz3XrAhw/s320/26233168_10215108338648155_8077470841363932577_o.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I write with dogs wrapped around my feet. I get to wear sandals or bedroom slippers to work and old, comfortable clothes. When the weather is fine I get to write on my back porch. I love summer.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">I write mysteries and fantasies because life is too short to be limited to one genre.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">I started getting published when I was 12, studied journalism at Northern Illinois University, then went to work as a news reporter…eventually for Scripps Howard, where I managed their Western Kentucky bureau. Getting itchy feet, I moved to Wisconsin and went to work for TSR, Inc., the then-producers of the Dungeons & Dragons game. I dipped my itchy feet into the fiction pool and wrote Dragonlance novels for several years. Now I’m back in Illinois, my land surrounded by train tracks that offer music to write by. And there are plenty of dogs in the neighborhood to provide an accompaniment.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">I am a recipient of the Faust, the grand master award of the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers, and the Illinois Author Project’s Soon-to-be Famous Award. I’ve been on the USA Today’s Bestseller list a few times … ah, I’ve never hit the Times.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">I’ve written more than forty SF, fantasy, mystery, and adventure novels (including a couple of ghosted projects), more short stories than I care to count, and I’ve edited magazines and anthologies.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">When I’m writing I listen to classical guitar and 60s rock … depending on my subject matter. And at every good opportunity I toss tennis balls for my cadre of dogs.</span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.donaldjbingle.com/"><span style="font-size: medium;">ABOUT DONALD J. BINGLE</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6cO8ZcAPSWogocAFl-PTXsTZquiJ0odZhyyKBqfH-zKLlV8zfEEAQOtBj9ZHbdzJvXSDUTh3WYaFk4dHhniGWNPVR-4-WHkKWMEcEU8VKrbqiGBiNmBqIz2tr-uYUDd2cMk6eVUAFWS2g933riKkheZKu15_xaG7B7GbfniyKYDsNsRwQyfHPIEYXg/s876/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-30%20at%202.21.10%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="586" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6cO8ZcAPSWogocAFl-PTXsTZquiJ0odZhyyKBqfH-zKLlV8zfEEAQOtBj9ZHbdzJvXSDUTh3WYaFk4dHhniGWNPVR-4-WHkKWMEcEU8VKrbqiGBiNmBqIz2tr-uYUDd2cMk6eVUAFWS2g933riKkheZKu15_xaG7B7GbfniyKYDsNsRwQyfHPIEYXg/w268-h400/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-30%20at%202.21.10%20PM.png" width="268" /></a></div><br /><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Donald J. Bingle is the author of six books and more than sixty shorter tales in the science fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror, mystery, steampunk, romance, comedy, and memoir genres.</span></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Random true facts about Donald J. Bingle: </span></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He was the Keeper of the World’s Largest Kazoo.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He made up the science of Neo-PsychoPhysics for a time travel roleplaying game.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He is a member of The International Thriller Writers.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He once successfully limboed under a pole only nineteen inches off the ground.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He has written short stories about killer bunnies, civil war soldiers, detectives, Renaissance Faire orcs, giant battling robots, demons, cats, werewolves, time travelers, ghosts, time-traveling ghosts, spies, barbarians, a husband accused of murdering his wife, dogs, horses, gamers, soldiers, Neanderthals, commuters, kender, Victorian adventurers, lawyers, and serial killers (note the serial comma). Of those subjects, he has occasional contact in real life only with dogs, cats, gamers, lawyers, and commuters (unless some of those are, unknown to him, really time travelers, ghosts, demons, serial killers, spies, or murder suspects).</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He prefers gamers to commuters.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He prefers dogs to cats.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He was once hit by lightning.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He was the world’s top-ranked tournament player of classic roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons for more than fifteen years.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He is a member of the Horror Writers Association.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He was an Eagle Scout.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He is a member of the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He used to write movie reviews for Knights of the Dinner Table, a comic book about gamers.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He is a retired attorney.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">· <i>He has likely attended GenCon for more years than you have been alive.</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cheers to all!</span></b></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSzHCX4EghwHdp-dxXaDcqbSVZ1QbCFv2J5VL6aZxDaSVK4e34qJRNsmXBJgHdZVzR3RNV1pyebHqbfW6U18G3XU9ffQK7iX-JZ6Wm5G_5U9hTjHqohhX4CCLpTwS4PWX1CcDEv9-eeEXYMa4Iql72UaerIkRIe5ikhvlnYyyFzEh7xahXF3xG0ZhHQ/s738/296736841_10159398438933462_2124021520735280447_n%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="738" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSzHCX4EghwHdp-dxXaDcqbSVZ1QbCFv2J5VL6aZxDaSVK4e34qJRNsmXBJgHdZVzR3RNV1pyebHqbfW6U18G3XU9ffQK7iX-JZ6Wm5G_5U9hTjHqohhX4CCLpTwS4PWX1CcDEv9-eeEXYMa4Iql72UaerIkRIe5ikhvlnYyyFzEh7xahXF3xG0ZhHQ/w640-h276/296736841_10159398438933462_2124021520735280447_n%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></b></i></div><i><b><br /></b></i><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-size: x-large;">Coming Soon—Two New Novels</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">In November: The Reluctant Heterosexual: A Tragicomedy In Four Movements A Prelude And An Interlude</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: red;"><div style="text-align: center;">In December: The Definition of Luck or The Post-Modern Prometheus</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; cursor: pointer; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=Z9SQXHR9LXA4&R=7RQZKA5C9Q7W&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fauthor%2Fstevenpaulleiva%3Fref_%3Dpe_1724030_132998060&A=VLBQ2FJJCPAMZH1ZRRVED3KPMMWA&H=M8LBPEHBNTE7KI49MM9KOGCCKZWA&ref_=pe_1724030_132998060" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/author/stevenpaulleiva</a></div><div style="color: blue; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;"><a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Books</span></a></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="http://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-articles-and-reviews-for-other.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">My Essays, Articles & Reviews</a></u></div></span></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></i></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p></div></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-23125070079228798592022-06-15T15:54:00.001-07:002022-07-21T14:44:57.643-07:00AN AUTHOR UPDATES<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I have two novels coming out at the end of this year under my Magpie Press imprint.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEWLx74gV3-LBMk7pkVjTtJa68421m9tQEWtMOuqfRbwZaMDRHrS_YR6C-T1qk8YcGTPyovGyISMFKVy0fCY3twqqJbwsCZ5r5j_0u_3Psp2zw3ajRCiFXBUtN_cgB31JS05H9cBIQSNjYRaKWo729LQO7WeRLnxj8dqCZm8mWdNahA-iuL-nQZt5Dw/s1280/JEAN%20CLEAN%20EV%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="938" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEWLx74gV3-LBMk7pkVjTtJa68421m9tQEWtMOuqfRbwZaMDRHrS_YR6C-T1qk8YcGTPyovGyISMFKVy0fCY3twqqJbwsCZ5r5j_0u_3Psp2zw3ajRCiFXBUtN_cgB31JS05H9cBIQSNjYRaKWo729LQO7WeRLnxj8dqCZm8mWdNahA-iuL-nQZt5Dw/s320/JEAN%20CLEAN%20EV%201.jpeg" width="235" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Reluctant Heterosexual: A Tragicomedy In Four Movements A Prelude And An Interlude</i> will officially publish on November 15.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYognqGebSQj9eS_Nej2t-qzXyEiuK9ljgztne5uyqDlBRvL-3V-szBbAbT03BB5FJVDuWYRcCz4svhgss8MUZnQHUdRYWYDH0IAmiipABStrYXeuJf3u1f0rl0jQEJuHzXfV_C9u3-Jf8-BP35iF9Vx8LKQW0rMNppPT6ZVzEm7TluMJKR8hydao4g/s2514/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%203.18.53%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="2514" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYognqGebSQj9eS_Nej2t-qzXyEiuK9ljgztne5uyqDlBRvL-3V-szBbAbT03BB5FJVDuWYRcCz4svhgss8MUZnQHUdRYWYDH0IAmiipABStrYXeuJf3u1f0rl0jQEJuHzXfV_C9u3-Jf8-BP35iF9Vx8LKQW0rMNppPT6ZVzEm7TluMJKR8hydao4g/w640-h436/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%203.18.53%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And <i>The Definition of Luck or The Post-Modern Prometheus, </i>a novel of the near future, will publish on December 15. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZwSklpylWGl3ojz1jxMoNtPCYJARLMeDkjjP6JDd8FfDMC-x-KDGGhZvtJ_fbbomcN5DzSf1oCarhPl0ux3zk-4dc5T2EJhO6RrHDP2pR7Hbr71NbIwMvU7TwXCHwZlK4aaqF69r7B9HP-gxUhyuJX1ih-FvYjmlv9FTQxEWD4E5KFmDFVWJvI-bhw/s2700/THE%20DEFINITION%20OF%20LUCK%20ebook%20COVER%205-20-22.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZwSklpylWGl3ojz1jxMoNtPCYJARLMeDkjjP6JDd8FfDMC-x-KDGGhZvtJ_fbbomcN5DzSf1oCarhPl0ux3zk-4dc5T2EJhO6RrHDP2pR7Hbr71NbIwMvU7TwXCHwZlK4aaqF69r7B9HP-gxUhyuJX1ih-FvYjmlv9FTQxEWD4E5KFmDFVWJvI-bhw/w426-h640/THE%20DEFINITION%20OF%20LUCK%20ebook%20COVER%205-20-22.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Between now and then, I will be doing my best to market both books. Not an easy task for a digital indie author and publisher. But to paraphrase that great American philosopher Super Chicken, I knew the job was dangerous when I took it!<br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">These are two entirely different books. <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual</i> is the third in my <b>Love, Sex, and Pursuit of Happiness Novels</b>. As with the other books in this group, it is a mainstream contemporary novel, which some might gift with the designation literary. Although there is a vital science fiction element to it. <i>The Definition of Luck </i>can be categorized as science fiction. Still, I do hope some will also think of it as literary. <br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">I am also moving all my novels previously released by other publishers to Magpie Press. This will be a slow process as I will be giving each book a complete re-proofing and polish. Currently, I am doing this on <i>By the Sea: A Comic Novel, </i>the first of my <b>Love, Sex, and Pursuit of Happiness Novels</b>, and I hope to re-launch it before <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual</i> so that it can join it and <i>Bully 4 Love </i>under Magpie in a Thematic Trilogy. </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQ0-rvk2ARcDL-iB_D2xZ0DtcZykZJMuu3usm8E6Yxiulp6xD3SOC_w43Kl3ViVQnVn23g43K0TC9w66P7iHzpmjIITt7UueecqfIBip0pdpYny-9RfLaypYebrFARq0rMy7ZvV7h-G0PEf4xaVvD2iK7x7v0YmZXe2E-KF9YnTtzzkC6gqID8EnuYQ/s2120/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%203.26.22%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="2120" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQ0-rvk2ARcDL-iB_D2xZ0DtcZykZJMuu3usm8E6Yxiulp6xD3SOC_w43Kl3ViVQnVn23g43K0TC9w66P7iHzpmjIITt7UueecqfIBip0pdpYny-9RfLaypYebrFARq0rMy7ZvV7h-G0PEf4xaVvD2iK7x7v0YmZXe2E-KF9YnTtzzkC6gqID8EnuYQ/w640-h298/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%203.26.22%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">By next year I hope to re-release my two <b>Fixxer Adventures Novels</b>, <i>Blood is Pretty</i> and <i>Hollywood is an All-Volunteer Army. </i> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mmVRjmnWggXAP-6dZ3gDdmdFWzPqsBCOt8Yg5gYkRi7uQcHhEQn7hOfCQChWhaYVlCR0CWpbNPkIs14L9WoxoFxXQS0PzNn141ufMZx6hAeInhMv13EOgSgECtQUBnfTzbBnKlNv3PDHxTpG53RqlpF8ICRShwR-sAAPZrOJrRn8Q3M20nJ6fKUiTg/s1624/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%201.48.00%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1624" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mmVRjmnWggXAP-6dZ3gDdmdFWzPqsBCOt8Yg5gYkRi7uQcHhEQn7hOfCQChWhaYVlCR0CWpbNPkIs14L9WoxoFxXQS0PzNn141ufMZx6hAeInhMv13EOgSgECtQUBnfTzbBnKlNv3PDHxTpG53RqlpF8ICRShwR-sAAPZrOJrRn8Q3M20nJ6fKUiTg/w640-h396/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%201.48.00%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Also</span><i style="font-size: x-large;"> IMP: A Political Fantasia</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> (like the Fixxer novels, first published by Crossroad Press). </span></p><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRKW0bPBdd0xyGADBnjm9kXOJEyjFQUobUKu2dr8UVKJLiD5j-XW33amWN9_DnAoAfurNo386NzUbYFjR97LUMJ4WfDmbV4wWyiHx7CLFL3OV-aKow3VA61v1QCwBDAruJzNxtuPs4DyjjGZJiArrnG9s5BfAiJHSvp3G3m5SexHrroDco633QUpcOQ/s400/Imp%20cover3%2010-17-16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRKW0bPBdd0xyGADBnjm9kXOJEyjFQUobUKu2dr8UVKJLiD5j-XW33amWN9_DnAoAfurNo386NzUbYFjR97LUMJ4WfDmbV4wWyiHx7CLFL3OV-aKow3VA61v1QCwBDAruJzNxtuPs4DyjjGZJiArrnG9s5BfAiJHSvp3G3m5SexHrroDco633QUpcOQ/w266-h400/Imp%20cover3%2010-17-16.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But first up, after </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">By the Sea</i><span style="font-size: x-large;">, I will be moving to Magpie </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Traveling in Space</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> (published by Bluroof Press). </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdLeuG4SkI89dCsSJHs1tlUcHk2941EhK36OFsrgGgjqykvyVg8TNJIPxrJnaFHZuKnhloT8S1PYMrX8eN_1JLPjF5714sRrar9kHzzGS6djnt7N0AD35wG0puQcZnDCS8quSKBX3cCfyPkGsJ_SrKuspKhVYDKx3K6trKU9EHFaYRurkyNwD4rWhcQ/s720/Final%20front%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="511" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdLeuG4SkI89dCsSJHs1tlUcHk2941EhK36OFsrgGgjqykvyVg8TNJIPxrJnaFHZuKnhloT8S1PYMrX8eN_1JLPjF5714sRrar9kHzzGS6djnt7N0AD35wG0puQcZnDCS8quSKBX3cCfyPkGsJ_SrKuspKhVYDKx3K6trKU9EHFaYRurkyNwD4rWhcQ/w284-h400/Final%20front%20cover.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Finally, I hope to bring over </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Journey to Where</i><span style="font-size: x-large;"> from Third Street Press after fulfilling some contractual obligations.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSho7C45jTbr0NWaOu78olPQJ-ScQY5OKOYrhypmIP0nUTvPFjmY5QCWyXIFYQ5z6SWsNvqGdOSBw377ycbkgfq3g-SmuQrBsyIYceoxZl4Hlxltk2EG0cuZ8D5j_rV8wpvRjmHxbj5LZUhtYw0VV7ZzNGkDP-oKYj9sQRKB_1eeys45zh_quRFYGBuA/s400/JOURNEY%20TO%20WHERE.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSho7C45jTbr0NWaOu78olPQJ-ScQY5OKOYrhypmIP0nUTvPFjmY5QCWyXIFYQ5z6SWsNvqGdOSBw377ycbkgfq3g-SmuQrBsyIYceoxZl4Hlxltk2EG0cuZ8D5j_rV8wpvRjmHxbj5LZUhtYw0VV7ZzNGkDP-oKYj9sQRKB_1eeys45zh_quRFYGBuA/w266-h400/JOURNEY%20TO%20WHERE.png" width="266" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thank my publishers, David Wilson and David Dodd of Crossroad Press, Dave Doody of Bluroof Press, and Christiana Miller of Third Street Press, for allowing me to take over the publishing of my books. And I thank them for their past support and encouragement.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I also want to thank Jean Rabe, a wonderful writer and damn good friend who has been my advisor and cheerleader in establishing Magpie Press.</span></p><p></p><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Putting all my books under my Magpie Press imprint will allow me to more easily market them in three categories with my <b>Wild Trip Novels </b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">joining the two groups mentioned above. </span></p></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4o1_SrvGLqq2C5xhOI6N7XTHrponnjHPJwdbBRNGN4KYngG9mdQVerBs1d-XZLPK_eH8A4fMrqxvDRO9nTkmwk9gLzwOyRODL_0PnUb--FVlfkNfZyNZoA6xqoX48LjNQHoe2h0in3ykUJ4Xq0giWGUZvj4JhXcamabmzy2gHc9Tw4R8KEWYPKtvWQ/s1454/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%202.08.30%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1454" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4o1_SrvGLqq2C5xhOI6N7XTHrponnjHPJwdbBRNGN4KYngG9mdQVerBs1d-XZLPK_eH8A4fMrqxvDRO9nTkmwk9gLzwOyRODL_0PnUb--FVlfkNfZyNZoA6xqoX48LjNQHoe2h0in3ykUJ4Xq0giWGUZvj4JhXcamabmzy2gHc9Tw4R8KEWYPKtvWQ/w640-h516/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-15%20at%202.08.30%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Only the Fixxer novels can be considered a series. The books in the two other categories are grouped by kind or theme, and none share characters or storylines. Anybody in digital indie publishing (which relies on ebook sales) will tell you that this is not the best way to sell novels. Readers, especially of so-called genre novels, seem to love book series. Not that there is anything wrong with that. For years many authors in literary and genre fiction have written series of connected novels. But I was never inspired to do so except briefly with the two Fixxer books. And I’m not likely to be so inspired in the future.<br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">But I believe all my novels are connected by my general satiric and comic view of life, which seems to creep into my work. Or maybe barge in. So I do hope readers will indulge me. Writing these novels has been a true joy in my life.<br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">To my friends who do not read eBooks—my books are available in trade paperbacks and they would be 100% analog in your hands.<br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; text-align: left;">Cheers to all!</span></div></span><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><br /><p></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-42734137387757651292022-04-15T14:03:00.001-07:002022-04-15T14:03:54.818-07:00CRYING AND CRYING OUT<div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">There is a reason why I call this blog <i>The Emotional Rationalist</i>. Ever since my twenties, when I was reading the books and writings of such popular scientists and thinkers like Bertrand Russell, Jacob Bronowski, Carl Sagan, Francis Crick, and Richard Dawkins, I have always tried to be rational in approaching the world that surrounds us. I have tried to find the facts and face them. I have strived to think critically. I have always wanted, to be mundanely metaphorical, to follow my head and not my heart. Or, more specifically, give considered thought to questions, challenges, and novel approaches to life that have presented themselves. And not give in to knee-jerk, first impression, purely emotional responses.</span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">But the metaphorical heart will have its way. Emotions and feelings are there in each of us and must be acknowledged, even if we choose to deny them. Love is universally considered a good emotion. And yet, it can lead us astray. Hate is widely deemed a bad emotion. And yet, who can deny that it provides a certain satisfaction? I suppose then it would always be best to give each <i>feeling</i> a good <i>think</i> before acting on it. This, at least, is how I have tried to live my life.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Still, I can become a blubbering mass of emotions, usually during filmed fiction, especially those which skillfully manipulate the tears out of you. And I do mean blubbering, as my wife and daughter will attest. They are always ready to shoot me some tissues. But then, I’ve always said, “I cry at movies, so I don’t have to cry at life.”</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">There has been a lot to cry at in life lately. Trump. The pandemic. The death and devastation now and to come by the Climate Crises. Trump’s insurrection. The war in Ukraine. The potential that our species will expire by its own hands. Emotional tourism can take your mind off these home truths for only so long.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">In all these troubles, polarization is disturbingly present. Right versus left. Haves versus the Have-nots. Authoritarianism versus Democracy. Facts versus Myths. And underlining all of these is the main polarization: Knowledge versus Ignorance.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">The old saying, “What you don’t know won’t kill you,” is as wrong as can be. But then, as I think it’s also been said, “What you don’t know, you often don’t know that you don’t know.” And that is the worst ignorance of all, except for this: knowing and then ignoring. That is not just ignorance, but arrogant ignorance, ignorance worn as a badge of honor. That is giving in to how you want to feel about something, rather than accepting the facts of that something, no matter how it makes you feel. And it is an all too often proclivity of humans that can be successfully exploited and manipulated, especially by those who would love (an emotion) to have unquestioned authority over you. A functional democracy needs knowledgeable or, at least, informed and rational demos. Tyranny needs only an ignorant, ill-informed, emotional mass.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I have given this thought and concern for years now. As others have as well, I’m sure. And I have found that these concerns have made themselves present in many of my novels. Even when my stories were, ostensibly, focused on other things or written with different purposes in mind. But once these concerns did make themselves present as I composed each novel, they became, in my mind, the actual rationale for the work itself. Which may be a bit of arrogance on my part. But arrogance is an emotion. I could try to deny it, but it does have some nice residual satisfactions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TWYR1YR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyc-J3CeDsdxSEjUQN9SNcu9VK6l6k5NiRo7_i_6xRW0Mgo1oLzIZsKl2ddQhIZaNVB2hwsL5z2I-THmCoECBKsSr06aCJlFzloHBbKBTilG6nIVCrvA6cG0eWHJCFHCQvYN72EhmedgaPaFzDU16UvfqQKvzfYAJ78kIlQrtsKWdN9EYSbo69SYQpg/w266-h400/JOURNEY%20TO%20WHERE.png" width="266" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">The impetus to write my novel <i>Journey to Where </i></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">was to fashion a contemporary scientific romance. That is, a story somewhat akin to the works of H.G Wells and Jules Verne. Novels of fantastic forays into unknown and strange worlds, whether traveling there through time, via a submarine, a sphere covered with anti-gravity paint, or a rocketship. I chose an accidental trip through time. Or Did I? Maybe my protagonists—a group of scientists—end up in a parallel universe. Or perhaps it’s a brand new universe fashioned out of the remnants of their own universe. In any case, they find themselves in a world where dinosaurs never became extinct and are now the dominant two-legged, intelligent (to various degrees) species. Or, actually, two species. The novel offers, I hope, a wide vista, adventure, danger, some humor, and things to contemplate. But it also has a portrait of total authority over the lives of the sentient thinking beings that inhabit the country of Anaraquan. Which translates as Where the Great Quan Rules. It is an authority that hordes knowledge only for its own benefit. An authority that arbitrarily sends people into slavery. An authority dictating who prospers and who doesn’t, who lives and who dies. The novel also proposes the need to defy such authority while acknowledging the damn difficulty in doing so.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i>Traveling in Space</i> was also written as a variation on a science fiction sub-genre—the First Contact Novel.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtIsPkfnQiqCE2fFLp5hTzRyI17LJoXG16lVS6k_7n5IwtW6DqhZopZ2aQ0RuPEJpRzmHfR8Z9_8-0z3qT1MsP2JLoWLhzR31VCuyBSr1mHjFlYzOqGXn0KjKE1OxQ0myrWaIKVgdJu6vu6lC-SCFp7zboDfUuu-KFDcbcPQYwbbuxCM5bv5TBgRcBw/s720/Final%20front%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="511" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtIsPkfnQiqCE2fFLp5hTzRyI17LJoXG16lVS6k_7n5IwtW6DqhZopZ2aQ0RuPEJpRzmHfR8Z9_8-0z3qT1MsP2JLoWLhzR31VCuyBSr1mHjFlYzOqGXn0KjKE1OxQ0myrWaIKVgdJu6vu6lC-SCFp7zboDfUuu-KFDcbcPQYwbbuxCM5bv5TBgRcBw/w284-h400/Final%20front%20cover.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br />I thought it would be amusing to write one from the point of view of the space aliens. Amusing because it would allow me to do a Dean Swift and have a whole shipload of Gullivers to comment on the strange doings of these strange humans. So there is humor as politics, religion, love, and sex is considered. But also horror as genocide is revealed. As hate runs rampant. And the focus is not just on the humans, but the foibles of the aliens are shown as well. And the twain does meet. This has a detrimental effect on the aliens when their leader takes his authority much too seriously.</span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy </i>began with a simple question.</span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-yYwW0uJz3IZP356xj4bxKFxEvJZU_wfNdvuWQjmB8oE9R0puxAYVqOT-itVxDnKUaaKkL4nEd57Vz7CdsM2pmsZRRiaesiZXB0l0N4YOww02YvQsK_LNIcH5YQdi86eUEq6FF1dEY3nCC96PifqDSJqlPcAvUIeOeG0-CpX9VtjkgQk2eMcKg3ZRQ/s2025/CREATUREFEATURTECOVERcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2025" data-original-width="1350" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-yYwW0uJz3IZP356xj4bxKFxEvJZU_wfNdvuWQjmB8oE9R0puxAYVqOT-itVxDnKUaaKkL4nEd57Vz7CdsM2pmsZRRiaesiZXB0l0N4YOww02YvQsK_LNIcH5YQdi86eUEq6FF1dEY3nCC96PifqDSJqlPcAvUIeOeG0-CpX9VtjkgQk2eMcKg3ZRQ/w266-h400/CREATUREFEATURTECOVERcopy.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Where do the ideas for fictional creatures and monsters of horror come from? Vampires sucking blood, werewolves rending flesh, manufactured monsters running amok, giant gorillas and reptiles stomping over the land, etc. The original authors coming up with these ideas were surely not “writing what they knew.” And then another question occurred to me, Why do these creatures and monsters always just wreak havoc, destroying any prospect of having a decent home in a nice neighborhood? Don’t they believe in, if I may put it this way, creature comforts? And so what began as a spoof of old monster movies and the local TV ghouls who screen them became a mash-up of that with political satire. Why? Because I find it much more logical for monsters to gain political power and authority, take over the world, and have lovely places to live. Horrifying, but logical.</span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJtOFeqUJeg_pQ9l2ndYv1_DqADdIBwvEC9ZRKe__mnBtHhcYl0VZoVnsiSET_znyqWqHqlagYM1zi5Zpcp04lJH-ewi-I9P2nhd7aOl3H1KGGYaerA5KRSm_M77BcP5sP88i56QQ8vtudMrBU_jXfyn3qPAK6lrcsowLkI2kmjP4AB7loVuV9ehGTA/s728/Imp-cover3-low-res.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="485" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJtOFeqUJeg_pQ9l2ndYv1_DqADdIBwvEC9ZRKe__mnBtHhcYl0VZoVnsiSET_znyqWqHqlagYM1zi5Zpcp04lJH-ewi-I9P2nhd7aOl3H1KGGYaerA5KRSm_M77BcP5sP88i56QQ8vtudMrBU_jXfyn3qPAK6lrcsowLkI2kmjP4AB7loVuV9ehGTA/w266-h400/Imp-cover3-low-res.jpeg" width="266" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;"><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></i></div>Imp: A Political Fantasia </i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">is my most upfront political satire. </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">Albeit with, as the title suggests, a fantastic element to it. I have referred to it as “</span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">West Wing</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> as done as a </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Twilight Zone</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> episode.” But it’s also a portrait, maybe only a quick sketch, of the type of personality that becomes authoritarian. A kind, quite frankly, that disturbs and disgusts me. Especially the fact that they are often so successful. Despite this, I was overcome with hope and wrote a </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Fourth of July Carol</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">. What precisely that means, you’ll have to read the novel to find out.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S9HDCJYR-Brg9iN-6Ff4hPHWJDj7JHVHc2FeItItYpApxn1omkEkRb1tv0GX53dApIu71zu1kHdjExFdQP5L_c5K0HiHdZGBJYQvefdnRo8xgF1-S_ZP0LddyktdLoNhRN5FvfbW37-3JHbcxTnVsYkBNqnB4T95DbjoO0mTVkv0B6M2e857VGsd5g/s400/Blood%20is%20Pretty%20Front%20Cover%20from%20CR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S9HDCJYR-Brg9iN-6Ff4hPHWJDj7JHVHc2FeItItYpApxn1omkEkRb1tv0GX53dApIu71zu1kHdjExFdQP5L_c5K0HiHdZGBJYQvefdnRo8xgF1-S_ZP0LddyktdLoNhRN5FvfbW37-3JHbcxTnVsYkBNqnB4T95DbjoO0mTVkv0B6M2e857VGsd5g/w266-h400/Blood%20is%20Pretty%20Front%20Cover%20from%20CR.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">My two Fixxer Adventure novels, <i>Blood is Pretty</i> </span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OH8-Jv6XN7AZDlgCwk0B-4htCcm0Kdan99Hf-OmEkjCxFUsf6AUYTL-D6O385skLkblph7QEVBgVO1Oro3_g4rxAT_djNrHoSL58yNlWMKUyefQgjHD0lOi_2azdcxrlo5RIyehwn7k-8ztqDczZal7e8RUMPC9cgtoE2GfJ9Gx-wxOAkImxSnwDRg/s400/HOLLYWOOD%20IS%20AN%20ALL-VOLUNTEER%20ARMY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OH8-Jv6XN7AZDlgCwk0B-4htCcm0Kdan99Hf-OmEkjCxFUsf6AUYTL-D6O385skLkblph7QEVBgVO1Oro3_g4rxAT_djNrHoSL58yNlWMKUyefQgjHD0lOi_2azdcxrlo5RIyehwn7k-8ztqDczZal7e8RUMPC9cgtoE2GfJ9Gx-wxOAkImxSnwDRg/w311-h400/HOLLYWOOD%20IS%20AN%20ALL-VOLUNTEER%20ARMY.jpg" width="311" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">and <i>Hollywood is an All-volunteer Army</i>, </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">were inspired by fiction and life. The fiction was that in words and images portraying such popular and thrilling characters as James Bond, Travis McGee, The Saint, Bulldog Drummond that I had and have a fondness for. The life was mine during two sometimes surreal decades working in Hollywood as a writer and producer. They are two satiric Hollywood thrillers if you can imagine such a thing. Although you don’t have to, as I already did. And you are more than welcome to purchase them on Amazon and give them a read. But in each book, there is a third element making a point. In </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Blood is Pretty</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">, it is the allure of power and total authority, even when the one seduced isn’t quite sure what to do with it. But, in having it, something will undoubtedly be done. And that something will not bode well. In </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">Hollywood is an All-volunteer Army, </i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I</span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;"> question</i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> the power of popular media, especially if it can be manipulated to protect the Haves from the Have-nots.</span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I know, I couldn’t leave well-enough alone. You would think satirizing Hollywood and providing a thrilling adventure would be enough. But I have always found that the precariousness of freedom, especially freedom of thought, has knocked loudly on my consciousness and, frankly, worries me. I could cry every day over the situation. Maybe it is not just movies I cry at so as not to cry at life. Perhaps it is crying out, even softly, in my novels that allow me some solace. </span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">It’s not quite the same as manning the battlements in defense of freedom and democracy. But it’s what I do. So it’s what I have done. </span></span></div><div style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">###</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">You can check out my books on my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Steven-Paul-Leiva/e/B001JS27EO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1">Amazon Author's page</a> or the <a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html">MY BOOKS</a> page of this blog. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></span></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-3536740139742316522022-03-29T10:08:00.003-07:002022-03-29T10:08:57.807-07:00IT'S TIME TO REVEAL THE COVER OF MY NEXT NOVEL<p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's time to reveal the cover of my next novel. So here it is, along with the book description. Publication date TBA.</span></p><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4WBvhe4duKXAS8lDDPXEm-jFsN-WZnXZoxd6BcBq4WuRCczgmvMIXsgBrhCUVuildsaws_e2R_xCCCfxf-YJtj6qdMOfycKUf7y2txZtdIbqpQau_sNSCnZUxsyXn6SsYt1IYMcuNOI34qwU9aPuS0NYHOnf28rJ7AzJh8Vd6Je_O5kDlJYQ7UbxKw/s2701/THE%20RELUCTANT%20HETEROSEXUAL.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2701" data-original-width="1801" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4WBvhe4duKXAS8lDDPXEm-jFsN-WZnXZoxd6BcBq4WuRCczgmvMIXsgBrhCUVuildsaws_e2R_xCCCfxf-YJtj6qdMOfycKUf7y2txZtdIbqpQau_sNSCnZUxsyXn6SsYt1IYMcuNOI34qwU9aPuS0NYHOnf28rJ7AzJh8Vd6Je_O5kDlJYQ7UbxKw/w426-h640/THE%20RELUCTANT%20HETEROSEXUAL.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">With <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual</i>, Steven Paul Leiva concludes his thematic trilogy: <b>The Love, Sex and Pursuit of Happiness Novels</b>. All three novels look at these three essential aspects of the human condition, with each novel focusing on one of the three. <i>By the Sea: A Comic Novel</i> looks at our unease when unhappy. <i>Bully 4 Love: A Rather Odd Love Story</i> takes a skewed view of this most revered emotion. And now, <i>The Reluctant Heterosexual</i>, as the title predicts, concerns sex, which is not always the same as love, nor is it always a happy situation. Subtitled <i>A Tragicomedy in Four Movements, A Prelude And An Interlude</i>, each section of the novel, as in a musical composition, has its tempo, mood, and form as it tells the story—and stories—of Robert Leslie Cromwell and Sandy Smith. Two Homo sapiens sapiens surviving and striving in the late 20th-Century. </span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Robert and Sandy are intelligent, creative, not unattractive, wealthy, married to each other, and in love. And yet their procreating bodies might as well be standing naked on a savanna in Africa in the late Pliocene Era. It’s the sometimes comic conflict between ancient bodies and modern culture. Can there possibly be a happy ending?</span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b>CAVEAT EMPTOR: As The Reluctant Heterosexual concerns sex, it is now and then explicit in language, situations, and attitudes. Readers who are offended by such explicitness should not read this book. </b></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">PRAISE FOR THE FIRST TWO </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">LOVE, SEX, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS NOVELS</span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>BY THE SEA: A COMIC NOVEL</i></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“Leiva writes the story with a great deal of depth and perception as he explores the lives, thoughts, and ambitions of each main character...the book’s ending plays upon the they-all-lived-happily-ever-after angle in a quite satisfying but not wholly exaggerated manner.”<b>— Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times.</b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“By the Sea is a delightfully engaging story about an eccentric community that resides in the foggy environs of Leech Beach...Leiva deftly interweaves the characters’ past and present to create a vibrant ensemble that is immediately engaging...By the Sea is a light-hearted, clever read.” <b>— Literary Fiction Book Review.</b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“Steven Paul Leiva has written an engaging, thoughtful, and kind book. And what a satisfying book it is! Leiva has built his small world perfectly, and each character is so complete and well thought out that what at first seem disparate pieces fit together perfectly by the end. It’s a hat trick in perfect proportions!”<b>— Jo Graham, author of Black Ships, Hand of Isis, and Stealing Fire.</b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>BULLY 4 LOVE: A RATHER ODD LOVE STORY</i></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“A deftly crafted contemporary romantic comedy that showcases the author’s genuine flair for originality and a distinctive kind of narrative storytelling that quickly captures the reader’s total attention and holds it firmly from cover to cover...unreservedly recommended.” <b>— Midwest Book Review </b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“It brings you through the full range of human relationships. This book at times made me laugh and at other times made me cry…Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading deeply personal stories about how the simplest of things can be the catalyst to forever alter the course of someone’s life.” <b>— Mom Kat Reads Blog.</b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“I will say this definitely lived up to the title - it’s odd. Not bad odd, and definitely interesting…if you’re looking for your typical romance story, you’ll be sorely disappointed. If, however, you want something that is off the beaten path and a bit unique, then this is exactly what you’re looking for. A must-read.” <b>— Liliyana Shadowlyn, The Faeire Review</b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“I am envious…It is sooooooo well written. There are pages I went back and re-read just because they were that good. It has twists and turns and excellent dialog… Leiva’s technique is exquisite.”<b>— Jean Rabe, USA TODAY Bestselling Author.</b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgZLAdV1-Euc1mTVSI9oG95Kgygs84-7hXx1dxdSmFx7N9AmVO5klOqYApi19jAoCBYlsVCRG0KHc9wHHE_NlMInSRb0YbYLKt2IWK5JPc_Q7tv14MvY6qj0pVassUAWEFyAXzpFGAYzWKTosKhOfWiGxRuS1O8Z9mBVh6Y37LAm8rx4Cg2eFSqovXw/s4000/3D5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgZLAdV1-Euc1mTVSI9oG95Kgygs84-7hXx1dxdSmFx7N9AmVO5klOqYApi19jAoCBYlsVCRG0KHc9wHHE_NlMInSRb0YbYLKt2IWK5JPc_Q7tv14MvY6qj0pVassUAWEFyAXzpFGAYzWKTosKhOfWiGxRuS1O8Z9mBVh6Y37LAm8rx4Cg2eFSqovXw/w640-h426/3D5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></div></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-14770354636135538062022-03-03T09:27:00.001-08:002022-03-03T09:27:09.720-08:00A GENTLEMAN DIES -- ALAN LADD, JR. (1937-2022)<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDGcfEOE_J61XxeWvU-q7pCn8OnCD9c5lQDK6OHoQc-c7Adw407LwYBXuNBjcSymSIAYZzGIeA34X39PiiHiAboSA3uW17WCh65M3ChZmSldyarQ6bFnLVE1JCRCUyOxxvIdlM802bXS9N9diHeBKcacyM8lqqjlJRLuHz_22qBQCVYPoDgQK5yWNtyA=s1240" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1240" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDGcfEOE_J61XxeWvU-q7pCn8OnCD9c5lQDK6OHoQc-c7Adw407LwYBXuNBjcSymSIAYZzGIeA34X39PiiHiAboSA3uW17WCh65M3ChZmSldyarQ6bFnLVE1JCRCUyOxxvIdlM802bXS9N9diHeBKcacyM8lqqjlJRLuHz_22qBQCVYPoDgQK5yWNtyA=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #0e101a;">I was sad this morning to hear that film executive Alan Ladd, Jr. had died. </span><span style="color: #0e101a;">I had several dealings with Ladd, or “Laddie” as he was called, and found him to be that rare commodity in Hollywood – a gentle man and a gentleman. I first met him when Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz and I met with him to pitch a film. <a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/2018/09/yes-that-will-be-fine-remembering-gary.html">This is how I remembered the meeting in a blog I wrote about Gary when he died:</a></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">“Later, when we were in partnership, we had a pitch meeting with Alan Ladd, Jr., then the head of MGM. Laddie, as he was known, had, of course, been at 20th when the first two </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Star Wars</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> films were made, so he and Gary knew each other very well. Ladd was also a quiet-spoken, laconic man, although more cowboy than Quaker, much like his dad, film star Alan Ladd. We sat down in his office, and Gary and Ladd faced off each other.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">'Gary,' Ladd said in a simple greeting.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">A beat.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">'Laddie,' Gary greeted back.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">A beat.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">'How are you?' Ladd asked.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">A beat.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">'Good. And you…'</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">It was like watching a ping-pong game in slow motion. But the meeting was successful; Laddie bought the pitch.”</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Later I was producing an animated feature based on the Betty Boop character for Ladd and MGM. When, with my fellow producers, including Richard Zanuck and his wife and producing partner, Lili Fini Zanuck, I had a meeting with Ladd to discuss the screenplay. Ladd admitted that he didn’t really understand the script because he didn’t know much about animation. “What do you want me to do?” he asked us. I immediately said, “Greenlight it..” Apparently, this was a bold ask as Richard looked shocked that I would be so blunt. But Lili agreed and jumped in and said, “Yes, Laddie, greenlight it, greenlight it!” Ladd didn’t quite greenlight it, but he did approve money to storyboard the screenplay, hire the voice cast, and create a filmed story reel. I called it a chartreuse light. Sadly, three months into this process, Ladd lost his job at the head of MGM, and the “new guy” scuttled the film.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Not making this film was a disappointment for me. But possibly a worse disappointment was not being able to continue an association with “Laddie.”</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-5589707896623609692022-01-13T15:08:00.000-08:002022-01-13T15:08:41.297-08:00SOMETHING NEAT IS HAPPENING FOR MY NOVEL "JOURNEY TO WHERE"<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">S<span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">omething neat is happening for my novel JOURNEY TO WHERE. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 q66pz984 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/thirdstreetpress/?__cft__[0]=AZWhnlOh8hH4m84qUqqmKrgAIPrDYvx08qQ-HK4KaJY-tC_kT5FhyVlDsj2bC8GsIln5OGlmEmA1dQR62pSj3nN1VVm0qH0bUWgFdaWZUo0RQ1U692VAEd14cHRKpmYjs2JxI89leL_attgsX3K7MGcf&__tn__=kK-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Third Street Press</span></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and its publisher </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 q66pz984 b1v8xokw" href="https://www.facebook.com/christiana.miller?__cft__[0]=AZWhnlOh8hH4m84qUqqmKrgAIPrDYvx08qQ-HK4KaJY-tC_kT5FhyVlDsj2bC8GsIln5OGlmEmA1dQR62pSj3nN1VVm0qH0bUWgFdaWZUo0RQ1U692VAEd14cHRKpmYjs2JxI89leL_attgsX3K7MGcf&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="nc684nl6" style="display: inline;">Christiana Miller</span></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have secured an ad for a special 99 cent sale for the ebook of JTW this coming Monday on BookBub. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjirY9sBtHd8pd9RuNr0IbVJZMWOxwFxWszaEmIxptRKUfinMr6Yc6I1sgIBhlhW0KveDOIYt7bewH51XlUwKWX_ipcPuaRgq85uucERTHmHQD_qp4k4CsQ0gI7bQF2I84R3uVGSpufK2PY0KkxaoHGSZMaNMft_9yFHCtCUb20J1fmC58LQur8ZwSx4A=s1595" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="1595" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjirY9sBtHd8pd9RuNr0IbVJZMWOxwFxWszaEmIxptRKUfinMr6Yc6I1sgIBhlhW0KveDOIYt7bewH51XlUwKWX_ipcPuaRgq85uucERTHmHQD_qp4k4CsQ0gI7bQF2I84R3uVGSpufK2PY0KkxaoHGSZMaNMft_9yFHCtCUb20J1fmC58LQur8ZwSx4A=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>What’s so neat about that? Well, my friends—and you are my friends—BookBub is the #1, leading, Big Kahuna of ebook promotion sites. Especially for indie digital authors, such as myself. And – IT IS DAMN HARD TO GET INTO!!! So 1000x1,000,000 thanks to Christiana and Third Street Press. AND JTW will be featured both internationally and in the U.S. You don’t have to be a BookBub subscriber to get the deal, you just have to go to your local Amazon and to the “Journey to Where by Steven Paul Leiva” page and click on BUY NOW.</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSQOCFFj504j4LcetZZykF1h5f4RlQQ2lDVYoV8hr4akon0OUu513Vgmg69-FfDtrgdDvfAgHVubmjrqF3c5BYQlUrWsgMsjLG981R905Xnz0ltmRzzcOeZfVSgCZBB7c2G10iVf0akGTauR4qRjPAVDEPo__18IvFLzze0tz9X3qBmTtcxoUV7pFDoQ=s1316" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="1084" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSQOCFFj504j4LcetZZykF1h5f4RlQQ2lDVYoV8hr4akon0OUu513Vgmg69-FfDtrgdDvfAgHVubmjrqF3c5BYQlUrWsgMsjLG981R905Xnz0ltmRzzcOeZfVSgCZBB7c2G10iVf0akGTauR4qRjPAVDEPo__18IvFLzze0tz9X3qBmTtcxoUV7pFDoQ=w528-h640" width="528" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">That right! To celebrate breaking into BookBub, all the ebook editions of all my novels will be on sale until January 24 for only 99 Cents each. Or the equivalent in other currencies. Which I mention because this sale covers covers all international Amazon sites, as well as here in the United States. There's something here for everyone -- fantastic fiction, Hollywood satiric thrillers, contemporary fiction looking at love and the pursuit of happiness.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p></p><h1 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></h1><h1 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">FOR THE SALE<br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">GO TO<br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/3awmx2ym" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/3awmx2ym</span></a></span></span></i></h1><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><h1 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">AND NOW FOLKS -- WHAT SOME GOOD FOLKS HAVE SAID ABOUT MY NOVELS</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><h1 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></h1><h1 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></h1><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #04ff00; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>THE WILD TRIP NOVELS</i></span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">JOURNEY TO WHERE</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">"<b>A deftly crafted, inherently interesting, and thoroughly entertaining read </b>from cover to cover, </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i>Journey to Where</i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> impressively showcases author <b>Steven Paul Leiva's genuine flair for originality and a distinctive, reader-engaging narrative storytelling style.</b> While <b>unreservedly recommended</b>, especially for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of SciFi fans that <i>Journey to Where</i> is also available in a digital book format." <b>— </b></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>Midwest Book Review</b></i><br /><span style="color: #333333;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;">"<b>The author’s true strength is in storytelling</b>. The attention to detail is spot on, providing just enough visual imagery to fill the reader’s perception without diluting the setting with unnecessary clutter. Throw this in with <b>a strong cast and a nicely paced plot,</b> and </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; white-space: normal;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Journey to Where</em></span><span style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;"> by Steven Paul Leiva is <b>a fun read</b> sure to entertain fans of the classics." <b>—</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;"><i><b>Ricky L. Brown, Amazing Stories Magazine</b></i></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: normal;"><span style="color: #111111;">Science fiction can be a lot of different things: science-y, thinky, adventurous, fun, philosophical, bizarre, allegorical, and laden with commentary on current affairs, but rarely does one volume provide a dollop of all of these things while at the same time featuring <b>realistic characters and realistic sentient dinosaurs. Recommended. </b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Donald J. Bingle, Author of the Dick Thornby Thrillers</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">EXTRAORDINARY VOYAGES - A Novella, Short Story plus</span></span></h2><div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Praise for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Made on the Moon: A Novella</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-right: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">"With just enough satirical elements to emphasize the blurred line between logic and insanity, <b>true fans of Science Fiction will find a kindred attachment with the Stanley Lewis character. It is a hero's journey, a relentless determination to dream the impossible. </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i>Made on the Moon</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> by Steven Paul Leiva shows us that reaching for the stars is not just a dream, for some, it is a way of life."</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><b>— Ricky L. Brown, Amazing Stories Magazine</b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: x-small;"></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Leiva has crafted a satire – perhaps a self-satire – with a very warm heart. If you’ve ever dreamed of flying in space or walking on the Moon, you’ll get the point of this story and you’ll love every page.” <b>—</b></span><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Russell Blackford, author of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Science Fiction and the Moral Imagination.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“T</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his <b>brisk and touching comic novel</b> has mysterious and profound things to say about the price of freedom, and it is not without relevance to the way new, and disturbingly pernicious, myths about freedom are being propagated every day in Trump's America. <b>Highly recommended!</b>” </span><span style="color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— John Billingsley, “Dr. Phlox” on </span><span style="color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Star Trek Enterprise</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and a voracious reader.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Leiva brings his <b>delightful wit and facility with language </b>to a tale that feels personal and honest. It unravels in the most unexpected ways, and, as is so often the case in his work, <b>I found both my curiosity and my funny bone tickled. </b>A great read.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> — Jeff Cannata, host of the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We Have Concerns </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/Filmcast </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">podcasts.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: medium; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ON </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cyrano De Bergerac and Baron Munchausen Go to Mars: A Short Story</span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-right: 14pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">"Steven Paul Leiva teaches a master class in 'what if.' What if Baron Von Munchausen and Cyrano de Bergerac went to Mars? What if, indeed! What if and what if and what if. Marvelous." </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-weight: 700;">— Jean Rabe, USA Today Bestselling Author </span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">CREATURE FEATURE: A HORRID COMEDY</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>ADVANCE PRAISE FOR CREATURE FEATURE</b></span></p><br style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;" /><br style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“VIVA, Vivacia! CREATURE FEATURE is a treat for everyone who grew up watching vintage sci-if and monster movies on late-night TV, presented by your favorite local horror host. This book tickled my funny bone while gnawing on it with razor-sharp fangs. As the Vampire Queen might say, it’s ghoul-tastic!” —</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Greg Cox, </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York Times</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Bestselling author</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“CREATURE FEATURE is a weird, funny, twisty romp through the creepier parts of the American landscape. Highly entertaining and highly recommended.”— </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of ROT & RUIN and V-WARS</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">REVIEWS</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creature Feature</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> reads like a comedy, has the weirdness of a Twilight Zone episode, and just enough monsters and mayhem to keep the readers on their toes and eager to turn the page. Where the author truly shines is in the comfortable dialog between both primary and secondary characters. Often flirting with but never breaking the fourth wall, it is a joy to see characters who seem to recognize the silliness of their own archetypal roles but shrug it off and encourage the reader to tag along for the fun. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, curl up on the sofa, and dim the lights and pull the blanket up close because it’s going to be a chilling ride. Steven Paul Leiva’s fast-paced </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will take you back to those late-night fright fests with just enough humor to appreciate the writing while remaining loyal to the horrors we grew up with and expect.” — <b>Ricky L. Brown, Amazing Stories Magazine</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt;"><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #111111;">"Leiva has such a vivid imagination -- not to mention a vast knowledge of the baby boomer world -- and it shows up on every page of this book. Inspired by all those movies, comic books and late shows, Leiva gives the reader such a roller coaster ride of a read that would certainly belong in pages of Amazing Stories magazine but taken to a whole new level. And even the scenes with the proliferation of the creatures on the streets of Placidville has a tinge of timeliness to today's headlines that it will have you guessing what the parallels are."— </span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-weight: 700;">Stuart Nulman, </span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-weight: 700;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Montreal Times</i> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Leiva is witty and engaging, stylistically striking an immediate generational middle ground. At face value, the novel would seem nothing more than a boomer’s nostalgic wet dream, but Leiva imbues the novel with an accessible comedic edge...Leiva, somewhat of a polyglot of entertainment mediums, employs that mastery as he moves the novel forward in an incredibly charming way. A perfect mix of dynamic action and dry dialogue keep readers turning the pages...“Creature Feature” holds enough rich nostalgia for all of us. It’s a tender ode to Cold War-era technological anxiety and is a delightful read for a less than delightful time. It’s escapism for the gentle masochist, leaving a real-world of trauma for a fictional one of catastrophe." <b>— Areyon Jolivette, The Daily Californian</b></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"> </b></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-top: 4pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Creature Feature</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Steven Paul Leiva is a perfect story for those who love horror B-movies. It’s complete with ugly and slimy creatures, wild adventures, a little comedy, and an unaware beautiful damsel in distress. I hung on to Steven Paul Leiva’s every word as Kathy and an unlikely local nerd hero try to save Placidville’s townspeople from fire-breathing dragons, a demon with an ego this big, and slimy blobs of nastiness. Creature Feature is action-packed and loaded with monsters galore, gadgets out of this world (Leiva really needs to patent his Interdimensional TV idea!), and an exciting climax worthy of any 5-star B-movie midnight horror-comedy flick. I’m looking forward to reading more from Steven Paul Leiva.” — </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Joanie Chevalierm, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1c; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Readers' Favorite Book Reviews</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8b9a9a5f-7fff-b03e-dda0-0d914fc352ae" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 15.4px;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;">"</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #111111;">CreatureFeature: A Horrid Comedy</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"> by Steven Paul Leiva. By the way, this guy has supercreds. I advise you to look this book up and the author because he's got RayBradbury praising his prose...this is such a fun book. As a kid, I would have loved this just for the prose and the situations alone. As an adult, I love the nostalgia part of it. I thought it was a ton of fun. If you like Elvira, if you like Invasion of the Body Snatchers if you like Slither you're going to dig this book. It is so much fun." </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #111111;">— <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Hunter Shea, Monster Men video podcast</span></b></p><div class="a-section a-spacing-small a-padding-small" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 6px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div><i style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></i></div><div><i style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">Creature Feature</i><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent;"> "...is a thoughtful and caring homage to old school monster movies and creature feature fans with brilliant and hilarious zingers thrown at you from the narrator throughout. I couldn't put it down...Do yourself a favor and put it on your reading list." — </span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Ryan Parks, Dark Parks Bookstore</span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent;">"I really liked the writing style of the author; I found it really witty...I giggled every time they referred to the most monstrous behaviors as "Politics as Usual". The comical and zany parts are really on point and rarely failed to make me laugh...the absurdity of some of the turns of events makes them really unexpected."<b>—</b> </span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Raven Nest Blog.</span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif">"I found (</span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif;">Creature Feature</i><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif">) a very fun book to read. It was quite funny and had the feel of being curled up and watching an old monster movie on television in the wee hours of the morning. It even had me wanting to argue with the characters just as I did back when watching those old creature feature movies when I was younger... Recommended." -- </span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Mom Kat Reads Blog</span></div></span></div></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;">TRAVELING IN SPACE</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="white-space: normal;">"<i>Traveling in Space's</i> humor and refreshing perspective are thoroughly enjoyable" <b>— Diane Ackerman, New York Times bestselling author of <i>The Zookeeper's Wife</i> and <i>A Natural History of the Senses.</i></b></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superbly entertaining</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and unique...thought-provoking." </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Mindquest Review of Books</span></span></div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Many of the aliens' encounters with human beings are </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">downright funny</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...<b>much to think about</b> and I'm sure that <i>Traveling in Space</i> <b>will play on my mind for some time to come</b>" </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Russell Blackford, Neworld Review.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>"A deadpan, laugh-out-loud look at first-contact told from the alien POV </b>(with aliens that are as messed-up as the rest of us). <b>Recommended!</b>"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stephen Webb, Physicist, Author of "If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?: Seventy-Five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life."</span></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"<b>A unique spin of science fiction</b>... With much humor and much to think about...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not to be overlooked</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midwest Book Review. </span></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">In </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Traveling In Space</i></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">, we have a book of three parts. It starts with <b>the humorous meeting of two civilizations</b> followed by the contemplation of the rights and wrongs of each one...I'm not going to divulge too much more here as I'm running the risk of revealing spoilers. What I will say is that </span><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">it's a good ending. A satisfying ending, in fact...It's well worth a read</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">— Andy Whitaker, SFcrowsnest</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">IMP: A POLITICAL FANTASIA</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"<b>Steven Paul Leiva is a very bad man.</b> His version of U.S. politics <b>'Trumps' anything the real world has to offer. </b>Hell, you thought the orange one was the only homunculus America had to worry about? You thought wrong. There's always the nuclear option.” </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>— Steven Savile, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author </b></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Perfectly sincere Thomas P. Powell’s proper life melts when he encounters a homunculus. Powell, the not-ready-to-be-president president, transforms into a character I wish I had written, and one I’d like to know personally. <b>Steven Paul Leiva is a master wordsmith</b> able to take on any genre or blend them as in the case of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IMP, A Political Fantasia</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. <b>Once started, I couldn’t stop reading</b>. The tale was just long enough, yet had me longing to read more of Leiva’s prose.” Z</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">oommmmbizzt! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I highly recommend this novel. <b>—</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>USA Today Bestselling author Jean Rabe</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;">"Anyone who is able to produce such a book as this has an innate ability and considerable talent. This isn't something you can learn and as an author, I wish I had the ability to wield the written word so effectively. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;">The book is a mix of genres, comedy, supernatural, suspense and drama, with a U.S. presidential setting. <b>Comedy is the overarching content </b>however and I was left chuckling along at the behavior and attitude of the main protagonist. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><b>It's a strong story and a very entertaining read. Well done Mr. Levia." </b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><b>— 5-Star Amazon review by PsychicSnail</b></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9ccdb90e-7fff-5889-b585-30d7ac89dea2"></span></span></div><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: trebuchet;">THE FIXXER NOVELS</span></i></h2><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 22px; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BLOOD IS PRETTY</span></span></h2><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">"Steve Leiva not only promises but delivers. </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Beautifully written</b></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">. Bravo!" </span><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">— Ray Bradbury.</span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">"<i>Blood is Pretty</i> is </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><b>a wonderful read</b></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">, a highly entertaining and impressive debut novel." </span><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">— Richard D. Zanuck, Academy Award-winning Producer of Jaws, Cocoon & Driving Miss Daisy.</span></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Steven Paul Leiva takes a dash of James Bond, the ghost of noir, a splash of Hollywood and stirs it into <i>Blood is Pretty</i>,<b> an adventurous, fast-paced first novel</b>." </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Melodie Johnson Howe, Edgar-nominated author of The Mother Shadow</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"The Fixxer has <b>the mystery of the Shadow, the sophistication of James Bond and the street smarts of Sam Spade</b>." </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Stuart Nulman, Book Banter/CJAD, Montreal</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Fixxer is a fascinating character. Intrigue; murder; mayhem in a fast-paced action-filled adventure." <b>A truly great first novel</b>. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— E. V. Le Roux, Silver Moon Magazine</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blood is Pretty</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is set in Hollywood, <b>it</b></span><b><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">'s</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> funny, it's</span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kind of dark, and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has </span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>a lot of biting things to say about Hollywood.</b> I urge people to check it out."</span><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <b>— Jeff Cannata, DLC Podcast</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></b></span></div><h2 style="font-size: 22px; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">HOLLYWOOD IS AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ARMY</span></b></span></h2><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start; white-space: normal;">“Leiva’s immense gifts for mystery and suspense are matched only by his wry, biting wit in skewering the Hollywood he clearly knows so well.”</span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><b>—</b> <b>Paul Provenza; author of ¡Satiristas!, director of The Aristocrats, host of Showtime's The Green Room with Paul Provenza</b></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br style="color: #333333; text-align: start; white-space: normal;" /><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start; white-space: normal;">“At last, Steven Paul Leiva has given us a second Fixxer adventure. Ever since I read <i>Blood Is Pretty</i> a few years ago I’ve been eagerly anticipating <b>more fun, exciting, and riotously entertaining travels with Leiva’s Bond-like character</b>. This time Leiva mines his firsthand knowledge of the community he has toiled in for much of his life, Hollywood. And he does it with the same <b>wry humor, intellectual insight, and terrific storytelling</b> that are the consistent signatures of his work. <b>Once you start this novel you won’t put it down.</b>” <b>— </b></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><b>Ken Kragen, legendary Hollywood producer/manager</b></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #333333; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">A fast-paced thriller with <b>more twists than a box of Rotini pasta</b>. </span><span style="color: #111111; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Leiva ratchets up the action to a nuclear level, following his first Fixxer novel, </span><span style="color: #111111; font-style: italic; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Blood is Pretty</span><span style="color: #111111; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-weight: 700; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">— L. Dean Murphy, The Big Thrill Magazine</span></span></span></div></div></div><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;">THE FIRST TWO OF THE LOVE, SEX, AND PRUSUIT OF HAPPINESS NOVELS</span></i></h2><div><i><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></i></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">BY THE SEA</h2><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">"Steven Paul Leiva has written <b>an engaging, thoughtful, and kind book</b>. In this era of unlikeable characters and the idea that a "good" book is one in which horrible things happen to horrible people, Leiva has turned that entirely on its head. Even when people act badly, <b>he has told their story with sympathy and grace, with a complete kindness for even the most outwardly difficult characters.</b> By the Sea is long, but it's not fat. It's all muscle. <b>And what a satisfying book it is!</b> Leiva has built his small world perfectly, and each character is so complete and well thought out that what at first seem disparate pieces fit together perfectly by the end. It's a hat trick in perfect proportions!" </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i>-- Jo Graham, author of Black Ships, Hand of Isis, and Stealing Fire.</i></b></span></div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>"Leiva writes the story with a great deal of depth and perception as he explores the lives, thoughts, and ambitions of each main character.</b>..the book's ending plays upon the they-all-lived-happily-ever-after angle in a quite satisfying but not wholly exaggerated manner. Oh, and by the way, the book is filled with <b>plenty of salty language and sex scenes</b> that are blushingly frank and explicit." <i><b>-- Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times</b></i></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i><br /></i></span><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i>By the Sea</i> is <b>a delightfully engaging story about an eccentric community </b>that resides in the foggy environs of Leech Beach...Leiva <b>deftly interweaves characters' past and present to create a vibrant ensemble that is immediately engaging</b>...an appealing comic treatise on small-town politics where sexual liaisons abound, on a collection of individuals who live cheek-by-jowl but find to hysterical effect, that they know each other not at all. <b><i>By the Sea</i> is a light-hearted, clever read</b>. <i><b>-- Literary Fiction Book Review</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">BULLY 4 LOVE: A RATHER ODD LOVE STORY</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: #f0eeff; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="text-align: center;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"<i>Bully 4 Love</i> is definitely not your typical romance novel. And that's the best part about it. There's nothing schmaltzy within these pages. In fact, Leiva tears out the wires of the romance genre and scrambles all the circuits, which leaves the reader with some tears, but mainly tears of laughter. It has a sort of Mel Brooks tone to it that will first make you utter 'Huh?' and then switch to 'Ha Ha'. So if you want a rom-com story that breaks all the rules (stucco face-shredding and all), then ditch the Harlequin Romances! Bully 4 Love is the beach and balcony read for you. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times.</span></p><div style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I am envious. This isn't a book I would have picked up off a shelf. It's "literary," and has romance in it. I am more of a blows-up-real-good kind of gal. But I have loved everything I've read from this author, and so I read this, too. And now I am envious. It so sooooooo well written. There are pages I went back and re-read just because they were that good. It has twists and turns and excellent dialog and I am envious that I cannot write something like this. So naturally, I am recommending it, as I like to recommend good books. If you're a writer, it's good for study, too, as Leiva's technique is exquisite. You'll be envious, too." </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Jean Rabe, USA TODAY Bestselling Author.</span></p><div style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I really enjoyed reading this story. It brings you through the full range of human relationships. This book at times made me laugh and at other times made me cry. This is a contemporary tale that you really won't want to miss. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading deeply personal stories about how the simplest of things can be the catalyst to forever alter the course of someone's life." </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Mom Kat Reads Blog.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I will say this definitely lived up to the title - it's odd. Not bad odd, and definitely interesting. I was captured from the first page, and the unique style kept me turning pages until the end. Above all, this story is about connections. Connections to each other, romantic, platonic, professional. I'm not sure if I'd call it a romance necessarily, and if you're looking for your typical romance story, you'll be sorely disappointed. If, however, you want something that is off the beaten path, and a bit unique, then this is exactly what you're looking for. A must-read." </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Liliyana Shadowlyn, The Faeire Review</span></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-995c8fe4-7fff-e62b-21ea-718c6ab0139e" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Bully 4 Love: A Rather Odd Love Story</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Steven Paul Leiva—a deftly crafted contemporary romantic comedy that showcases the author's genuine flair for originality and a distinctive kind of narrative storytelling that quickly captures the reader's total attention and holds it firmly from cover to cover...unreservedly recommended." </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Midwest Book Review </span></span></p><div><br /></div></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-15786195488178244872021-11-29T15:24:00.005-08:002021-11-30T14:58:24.392-08:00A LETTER FROM STEPHEN SONDHEIM, A CARICATURE BY BRAD BIRD<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboy3YbhkRm-uK2WZfAZ2XVRAhYp1VgpKGCcHlD7uruC69uxcWGRGV12sbEUFMbpZYxD5oELUTy01s0YICnKQF_x7jPTNK-AHEsqzRoTjBnWgesnthBumHEbPkUc5hLhnzNnAp5rFYKFx3/s2048/merlin_113967589_d0b46cc3-d3f4-49a4-b043-b4a9b26f3da6-superJumbo.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboy3YbhkRm-uK2WZfAZ2XVRAhYp1VgpKGCcHlD7uruC69uxcWGRGV12sbEUFMbpZYxD5oELUTy01s0YICnKQF_x7jPTNK-AHEsqzRoTjBnWgesnthBumHEbPkUc5hLhnzNnAp5rFYKFx3/w400-h400/merlin_113967589_d0b46cc3-d3f4-49a4-b043-b4a9b26f3da6-superJumbo.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.13px; text-align: left;">Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Since the death of Stephen Sondheim last Friday, I have posted and shared on Facebook a lot of the outpouring of sadness and expressions of love that followed. Despite having lived a long life, those of us who revered the man and his talent thought he would go on forever. Thus the shock over his death. Of course, Sondheim’s music and lyrics will last many more lifetimes; we will always have that. But the man himself, known by some personally, known by fans via documentaries, books, and many interviews, will be greatly missed. I wish I had been of the former instead of (or, rather as well as) the latter. Still, I once wrote him a letter, having somehow gotten his home address, and was fortunate enough to have received an answer. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">This was in 1980 when I was starting a career in film animation. I hoped to convince Sondheim of the viability of making an animated feature based on his musical </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Company</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">, a play about the ups and downs, the good and bad about marriage. And about the need not to be lonely in life. Some of you might think that was weird of me. Certainly, a lot of people back then did. But I didn’t care. I wanted to see American Animation grow the hell up and stop making just “kiddie flicks,” as some perceived them to be. So I wrote a rather lengthy letter to Sondheim extolling the aesthetic benefits of animation and my vision for a film.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">As you can read in the letter below, Sondheim rejected the idea. </span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3V-Al4DbdSY1jUNdDHaWdPgN6AsWIQhNKyNjEpxeC6Wb2CF61fNPLq1Alj9nNos841ARIqdn-IjCn0nt8xBiGZ2koYnlccSJE9TpH3lkmter7ml4vHwq-vyfVypzvy7TfzIK1369dR8N/s2048/ScanLTR+FROM+SONDHEIM+4_18_80+1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1533" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3V-Al4DbdSY1jUNdDHaWdPgN6AsWIQhNKyNjEpxeC6Wb2CF61fNPLq1Alj9nNos841ARIqdn-IjCn0nt8xBiGZ2koYnlccSJE9TpH3lkmter7ml4vHwq-vyfVypzvy7TfzIK1369dR8N/w480-h640/ScanLTR+FROM+SONDHEIM+4_18_80+1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I have had more than a few rejections in my life. They are never pleasant. But this one I cherish. Simply because it exists. Simply because Sondheim was a gentleman. Because he, at least, listened. And because he was Sondheim.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">To prove that I was serious about my idea for an animated Sondheim, I include below a caricature of me by Brad Bird. We were partnered at the time with Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz in a proposed animated feature based on Will Eisner’s great comic book, </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Spirit</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">. Which also would not have been a “kiddie flick.” And indeed, Hollywood refused to get behind it. But that’s another story. Brad and I were flying home from New York after meeting with Eisner to secure the animation rights to <i>The Spirit</i> (which we did) when Brad drew my caricature in The Spirit’s iconic clothes. But what is really telling is what he has me saying -- “On a whole, I would rather be doing Sondheim.” So I must have been bending Brad’s ears on the subject.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4ocsQFoWPBOIY2xALdYkguwye0_X2ZBJsBQuFWOLOlOUv9GoErwssqgPZTBMPX48Yx4qHHP-LR7IwAZpafNmdhb4jw4k5DxMHcN3pcD-3riXFzKRuAyy-HBbvO1pSKBJGPw2LXGsE1DL/s497/ME+SPIRIT+SONDHEIM+BIRD+1981+%25281%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK4ocsQFoWPBOIY2xALdYkguwye0_X2ZBJsBQuFWOLOlOUv9GoErwssqgPZTBMPX48Yx4qHHP-LR7IwAZpafNmdhb4jw4k5DxMHcN3pcD-3riXFzKRuAyy-HBbvO1pSKBJGPw2LXGsE1DL/w516-h640/ME+SPIRIT+SONDHEIM+BIRD+1981+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="516" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Brad was wrong. Of course, I would not have “rather” but “as well as.” I was excited about </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Spirit</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> project and still regret that we could not get it made. Coming out in the early 80s, as was the plan, </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Spirit</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> would have started the animation revolution that had to wait for a little mermaid. And it would have been a whole different kind of revolution.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Oh, well, on the whole, these days, I’d rather be writing my novels. And so I do.</span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho50k5uVZurMd2L99XN3g3O1FCYCyAHNDmFmOTaXs3Qqe8c2U2idbR3UY-_0wVI6f79TK6uJuols57MN1xDRnRWSIE0-QaJSP6D-8Sj7WcsBeH5YemQfQyWeZlBxCVznK_4Ok7wgBKZTHS/s1958/MP+FIRST+3+BOOK+COVERS.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1958" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho50k5uVZurMd2L99XN3g3O1FCYCyAHNDmFmOTaXs3Qqe8c2U2idbR3UY-_0wVI6f79TK6uJuols57MN1xDRnRWSIE0-QaJSP6D-8Sj7WcsBeH5YemQfQyWeZlBxCVznK_4Ok7wgBKZTHS/w640-h308/MP+FIRST+3+BOOK+COVERS.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><p></p><p style="background: transparent; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background: transparent; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-67609560386298759892021-11-23T14:05:00.000-08:002021-11-23T14:05:18.407-08:00JEAN RABE LISTENS!<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7bf18e67-7fff-1a94-1876-f5cf1b3c9bb4"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8cnUMUoodvwis5JALEhQx3MyIAvz19xUOBd79nvlRLvsKxxu2wxgiv5Rx52anj2_fXP3DKnHAeJ3GnV2qy6L6YbyzgWSIzOjC5ltuckEEasecdgz1aK41SqPXU1xWMGIqn2b_7NmyMhe/s2560/cropped-Piper-Four-scaled-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="2560" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8cnUMUoodvwis5JALEhQx3MyIAvz19xUOBd79nvlRLvsKxxu2wxgiv5Rx52anj2_fXP3DKnHAeJ3GnV2qy6L6YbyzgWSIzOjC5ltuckEEasecdgz1aK41SqPXU1xWMGIqn2b_7NmyMhe/w640-h280/cropped-Piper-Four-scaled-1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">People who follow me on Facebook and this blog will know that I am a fan of Jean Rabe’s. She's a generous and wise person and a good and caring friend. But she is also, at her core, a damn fine writer of popular fiction with a well-honed power of description of both people and places that elevates her work above the crowded field of stories on offer out there. Right now she is on a blog tour touting the audiobooks of three of her four (so far) Piper Blackwell Mysteries. So I asked her to drop by and offer her thoughts on discovering the thrill of an author hearing her work beautifully narrated. </span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">So...ladies and gentlemen...Jean Rabe. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">======</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoPwt-S2W0skHtH9YxfyVC-grf9qfzrt_FF5nVBmufYqo7cbmAaGpsI04SXU026iGCLWgCnYhuicwM4UEGlS-M3t_LgFebKnTvPNERggvgHF8hbb8Db7-r4o80K_E-U9758eFItHpQ89D/s1524/Jean+Rabe+hat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1524" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoPwt-S2W0skHtH9YxfyVC-grf9qfzrt_FF5nVBmufYqo7cbmAaGpsI04SXU026iGCLWgCnYhuicwM4UEGlS-M3t_LgFebKnTvPNERggvgHF8hbb8Db7-r4o80K_E-U9758eFItHpQ89D/w640-h422/Jean+Rabe+hat.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><h1 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Spencer County’s Fancy Frosting</span></span></h1><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">by Jean Rabe</span></span></h3><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hadn’t thought much about it, having an audiobook, when I wrote my first mystery, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dead of Winter</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. A freelance editor approached me with the notion, said he’d handle it, and that he had a narrator in mind. Okay, I said, let’s go with it.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">The narrator was the most magnificent Catherine Wenglowski. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq9YRzemz6kKsdqsd6jR5TpHXP-ZFOraqTku-3KiljtROnirWc4rcA5yp5XoSEMAuwVxfmcZY-oxZGgewSsITOV4wMUuTr5SInDUMysmYGiK05bHkEWIMVtHdE19OTaz_GIvh7Cdhl6Wo/s768/Catherine-Wenglowski-768x768.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq9YRzemz6kKsdqsd6jR5TpHXP-ZFOraqTku-3KiljtROnirWc4rcA5yp5XoSEMAuwVxfmcZY-oxZGgewSsITOV4wMUuTr5SInDUMysmYGiK05bHkEWIMVtHdE19OTaz_GIvh7Cdhl6Wo/w400-h400/Catherine-Wenglowski-768x768.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I watch </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Holiday Baking Championship</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the Food Network. I am AMAZED at what a group of talented bakers can make … works of art, really. (I am also amazed that they would put that much time and effort into something that would be cut up and eaten … seems like a waste, eh?) Anyway, to my point: sometimes they frost their concoctions with this stuff called “mirror glaze.” It’s bright, shiny, smooth, and pours over a cake or cookies seamlessly.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Catherine’s voice is mirror glaze—bright, shiny, perfect, smooth.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">When some of my friends heard my first audiobook, they looked up other things Catherine had recorded so they could buy more. To them, it wasn’t about the story …it was about her voice.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apparently, Catherine liked Sheriff Piper Blackwell enough to record the next two books in the series: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dead of Night</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dead of Summer.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> All three are featured as part of this blog tour. Yeah, I read the books over and over as I was writing them. And now I’ve listened to them multiple times because she brings Spencer County to vivid, shiny life.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I feel incredibly fortunate that the editor suggested I take </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dead of Winter</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to audiobook form. I wouldn’t have done it without that nudge … and I wouldn’t have gotten to hear the most magnificent Catherine Wenglowski narrate the adventures of Piper Blackwell.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before this experience, I’d only listened to two other audiobooks. One a Robert Crais novel (have to love Elvis and Joe), and the other one of my Rogue Angel adventures. Neither were as good … oh, the books might have been. But they didn’t </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sound</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as good. I hadn’t purchased more audiobooks because those two hadn’t been TERRIFIC. Once in a while I have Alexa play something Patrick Stewart narrated … but that’s not the same thing as an entire audiobook.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">If I’d had heard a book earlier by Catherine or someone as talented, I certainly would not have stopped with Roger Crais and Rogue Angel. It’s nice to sit back and have someone tell you a story. I finally ‘get’ why people appreciate audiobooks.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steven Paul Levia, who is graciously hosting this blog post, was fortunate with his audiobook, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creature Feature</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which was narrated by actors Seamus Dever and Juliana Dever, who were on the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Castle</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> television series. I’ve listened to that one twice, and will again during the Thanksgiving weekend.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll also listen to my </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dead </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">books again, hearing Spencer County, Sheriff Piper Blackwell, and Deputy Oren Rosenberg reflected in the mirror glaze.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2e2f; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’ll be grand to curl up next to the fireplace with a few dogs, a blanket, and listen to Catherine pour the fancy frosting over Spencer County, Indiana. </span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">===========</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Piper Blackwell is the newly appointed sheriff in this intense mystery-thriller series s</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">et in a small town in Indiana</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Faust Lifetime Achievement winner, Jean Rabe. Narrator Catherine Wenglowski lends her voice to this series of books that will keep you up at night...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify; text-indent: 27pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: 27pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">About the Books</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: 27pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">BUT FIRST! I hasten to remind you that on Amazon if you buy the ebook you can get the audiobook for around half off. What a deal! Sometimes it's fun to read and hear the words simultaneously. I recommend it. So check out the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078MLSXVZ?binding=kindle_edition&qid=1637450243&sr=1-9&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn">PIPER BLACKWELL MYSTERY SERIES!</a> I bet you won't hate me for suggesting it.</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE DEAD OF WINTER</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: 27pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a deceptively peaceful county, a murderer hides in plain sight.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fifty-eight minutes into her first day on the job, 23-year-old Sheriff Piper Blackwell is faced with a grisly murder, the victim artfully posed amid decorations on his lawn. Drawing on former military training, Piper must prove herself worthy of the sheriff's badge, and that won't be easy.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Mystery/Thriller</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Length: 8 hr 47 min</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Language: English</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE DEAD OF NIGHT</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">As Sheriff Piper Blackwell rushes to a clandestine meeting with an aging, paranoid veteran who believes spies are trailing his every move, she is caught in a fierce thunderstorm. Pounding rain drums against the bluff, washing away the earth and revealing a grisly secret someone tried to bury a long time ago.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Putting a name to the skeleton on the bluff, and searching for the thief who robbed the old veteran of his life’s earnings, sends Piper delving into the sleepy towns that dot her rural county. Now she’s digging into pasts perhaps best left alone.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Accompanied by Chief Deputy Oren Rosenberg, Piper seeks to expose a truth someone wants to remain forever hidden. The investigation may have started with a thunderstorm, but Piper aims to finish it and find justice. Uncovering fragments of Spencer County’s history could prove more dangerous - and deadlier - than she ever expected.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Mystery/Thriller</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Length: 8 hr 32 min</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Language: English</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE DEAD OF SUMMER</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shouts of delight turn to screams of terror when a carnival ride goes berserk at the Spencer County Fair. Sheriff Piper Blackwell must contain the chaos and investigate the possible sabotage, even as she tries to solve a local businessman’s horrific murder.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">But managing two investigations with at least one killer on the loose pushes the young officer and her tiny staff to their limits. Can Piper catch the murderer, or will the summer’s body count continue to rise?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Mystery/Thriller</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Length: 8hr 19 min</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Language:English</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">About the Author</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">USA Today Bestselling author, Jean Rabe's impressive writing career spans decades, starting as a newspaper reporter and bureau chief.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">From there she went on to become the director of RPGA, a co-editor with Martin H. Greenberg for DAW books, and, most notably, Rabe is an award-winning author of more than forty science fiction/fantasy and murder-mystery thrillers.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">She writes mysteries and fantasies because life is too short to be limited to one genre--and she does it with dogs tangled at her feet because life is too short not to be covered in fur.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find out more about her at</span><a href="http://www.jeanrabe.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.jeanrabe.com</span></a></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">About the Narrator</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 9pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Catherine Wenglowski is a New York City-based audiobook narrator. With a background in theater and as a classically trained singer, combined with her lifelong love of reading, Catherine uses her trained ear and creativity to add breath and life to characters and to connect with her audience. Visit her website at:</span><a href="https://www.wenglowvo.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.wenglowvo.com/</span></a></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-right: 9pt; margin-top: 9pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 6pt 0pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="color: #5f6368; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.7142857142857142; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-right: 9pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 3pt 0pt 0pt 0pt; text-indent: 27pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-1526810094665760732021-09-21T22:02:00.007-07:002021-09-22T08:45:46.777-07:00WELCOME BACK, JEAN RABE AND DONALD J. BINGLE! LOVE/HAIGHT CASE FILES #2 CONSIDERED<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61V9iThghleC63MumEZKHiB5sF9zYP5FiZ17wwwUBtNlSoF4dhzPVPAhUgxxjPZTQDhxVJFDfLE28pFoGL-WF_R4RdF2s52gWxB5Jv2A-3eNfasYSZDXZHPnpI7OiNqmRO9K7a1DFqgiB/s1080/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files_Bk+2_BlogTour_Insta_2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61V9iThghleC63MumEZKHiB5sF9zYP5FiZ17wwwUBtNlSoF4dhzPVPAhUgxxjPZTQDhxVJFDfLE28pFoGL-WF_R4RdF2s52gWxB5Jv2A-3eNfasYSZDXZHPnpI7OiNqmRO9K7a1DFqgiB/w400-h400/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files_Bk+2_BlogTour_Insta_2.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></p>Two blogs ago I introduced to you the unique tales of a San Francisco even weirder than what most people in the great midwest, not to mention the southeast of our country, already think it is. The two books (so far) in a series cleverly titled, </span><i style="font-family: trebuchet;">The Love/Haight Case Files </i><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">by Jean Rabe and Donald J. Bingle create a San Francisco its natives would surely recognize—except for all the zombies, vampires, ghosts, living stone gargoyles, werewolves, and other OTs (Other Than Humans) that have taken up residence in the City by the Bay. They are not there to wreak havoc (well, most aren’t), they just want to live as normal a life (or undeath) as possible in a beautiful location for once. No dark and stormy Transylvanian castles and villages, or Gothic churches, creepy haunted houses, or desperate, flat landscapes where the zombies roam for these guys. And when they are sinned against and illegally slighted, they, like all of us, just want simple justice. That’s where lawyers </span><span class="s1" style="background-color: white; font-family: trebuchet;">Thomas Brock, a ghost, and Evelyn Love, very vibrantly alive, come in.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> They are advocates for this underserved (and some recently underground) community.</span></span><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 1: Seeking Supernatural Justice </i>won <span class="s1" style="background-color: white;">three prestigious Silver Falchion Awards. <i>The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 2: Fighting for Other-Than-Human Rights, </i>which is being published this week, may well gather a like number, if not more, such awards.</span></span></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">In my last LOVE/HAIGHT blog I reviewed Book 1. </span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCs2Wzy66n9w-q_8iT4pcOFvJbCCqnl_LXhreQbaaGxSWkGtiaft0XOjbk0nJOihmXm5pZ8o9Ttf2yi7LTI1ED4EuADewSkMwjza5wO_cmo5-n4OOa9DNYRj8UwhwCWEAZ57n5-sgcR77c/s1226/Screen+Shot+2021-09-17+at+2.44.09+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="798" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCs2Wzy66n9w-q_8iT4pcOFvJbCCqnl_LXhreQbaaGxSWkGtiaft0XOjbk0nJOihmXm5pZ8o9Ttf2yi7LTI1ED4EuADewSkMwjza5wO_cmo5-n4OOa9DNYRj8UwhwCWEAZ57n5-sgcR77c/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-09-17+at+2.44.09+PM.png" width="208" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">But for Book 2, </span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLU-OpNV_I_vElnYvIblO5VCZBsLxadvJ3uO-gsZt-qGJufocmw1oC4ZSSqVpYJkJDlmtSn9rPD4g3SmXcQ1GsF7muFp_GJTdsOV8q15HWtH_HKAVgTt81lRVvh3h6-fqFRpd-3T9Uis9/s1280/Love-Haight+Case+Files+Bk+2_Cover.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLU-OpNV_I_vElnYvIblO5VCZBsLxadvJ3uO-gsZt-qGJufocmw1oC4ZSSqVpYJkJDlmtSn9rPD4g3SmXcQ1GsF7muFp_GJTdsOV8q15HWtH_HKAVgTt81lRVvh3h6-fqFRpd-3T9Uis9/s320/Love-Haight+Case+Files+Bk+2_Cover.jpeg" width="209" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="font-size: large;">I decided to let the authors speak for themselves by asking them some pertinent questions.</span></span></p><p class="p5" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p6" style="color: #0d0d14; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i></i><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Q: Can you guys remember the moment you got the idea for the LOVE/HAIGHT stories, and how did the idea to collaborate come up?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #f6000b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">DON: This was all Jean. She came up with the premise and characters. I was just invited to frolic in her playground. Initially, the notion was to publish each case as a separate novella, but it became clear at some point that collecting them into novels would be a better idea both from a marketing standpoint and in terms of allowing character development, a consistent timeline, and advancing the overarching plot.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">JEAN: Many years ago, packager Bill Fawcett requested a proposal for an urban-romance with a dead character…sort of a Ghost and Mrs. Muir thing. I put together a pitch that included Thomas Brock and Evelyn Love set in 1960s San Francisco. I picked SF because I thought it would be a nice place to live, and the 1960s because I was attracted to Haight-Ashbury and the hippie culture. Turned out that 1960s fiction wasn’t a good sell, and I lacked the ability to spin a romance as the crux of the story. Admittedly, I write action and mystery much better than smoochy. The idea went nowhere, but some years later I decided to dredge it up again, set it in modern-day, and bring in a significant supernatural element. I just had to do something with Valentino (more on him later). I invited Don Bingle to come play, as he knows monsters and the law. I wanted to keep the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood with its Painted Ladies, and I was still determined to have a 1960s connection … hence one of the characters is a ghost-hippie who died of a drug overdose on the corner of the law office.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Q: Why did you set the stories in San Francisco? Did the LOVE/HAIGHT title come before or after you settled on San Francisco as the location?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #f6000b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">DON: Again, this was all Jean, but I will say that the history of San Francisco lends itself quite well not only to particular stories, but to certain thematic parallels and social commentary that can be found in the stories.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">JEAN: Outside of finding the San Francisco area lovely to look at it. The place has so many interesting elements to write about … Alcatraz, haunted hotels, Fisherman’s Wharf, ridiculously priced housing, earthquakes, and Haight-Ashbury. The whole Love-Haight thing was cement in my head, and I was damn sure gonna have a book with Love-Haight in the title. Evelyn’s last name had to be Love to make it fit nicely. Hmmmmm … I think the title came before the setting, actually, now that I look back on it. Love-Haight was cemented in my brain.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Q: Do you collaborate via long emails, phone conversations, or telepathy?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #f6000b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">DON: We sometimes chat with one another about basic ideas for cases and offer some broad suggestions, but mainly we each focus in on our own cases, with calls or emails about certain issues that arise during the course of putting that together. Once one of us has a first draft, they send it to the other for an edit to deal with flow, consistency, and any world or overarching plot issues. Given my legal training, I also offer thoughts about how certain courtroom or legal theory issues work, even though I was not a courtroom lawyer.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">JEAN: What Don said.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Q: How did you choose the supernatural creatures you feature? Or does the plot and themes you want to explore dictate the kind of creatures you feature?</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #f6000b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">DON: I used to play a lot of roleplaying games, including horror rpgs like Chill, so a certain amount of my horror fiction, including Love-Haight, is influenced by the monsters I am familiar with from that context. Anything that is super-nasty or obscure probably came from Jean’s research.</span></p><p class="p9" style="color: #f6000b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">JEAN: For my cases in the first book, I picked the story first, worked out the plot, and then figured out which supernatural creatures would best fit. In one case I needed a defendant that was known for eating flesh, hence a ghoul. In another, a vampire seemed a natural for a story involving a blood bank. But in the second Love-Haight, I picked the creatures first and then came up with the plots. My buddy Vicki Steger had gifted me with a fantasy creature encyclopedia. Thumbing through it, I discovered some watery beasties I wanted to write about.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Q: These are not standard books of horror, but have as their themes, justice, discrimination, and _________ (fill in the last word)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #f6000b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">DON: Empathy.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">JEAN: Treachery</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Q: What, in your own lives, may have inspired these books, their characters, or particular scenes or incidents?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p7" style="color: #f6000b; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">DON: I know that Jean has done a lot of research about certain historical events in her cases and, of course, certain situations, locations, and events are inspired by real-life counterparts. Zombie walks are a real thing, for example, and, as a corporate attorney, I have been involved in financial transactions that have influenced or inspired certain snippets of the case that deals with that world. And, though it may be obvious, Alcatraz is such a prominent landmark in San Francisco and has such a long and sad history that you just can’t help but deal with it in some way at some point. I also did a short story prequel (being released in Origins!, the 2021 Origins Game Fair Anthology) set in the world of Love-Haight which is inspired by a historical brouhaha I read about in the Wall Street Journal a decade or so ago about the opening of a bacon store in the midst of Haight-Ashbury. And, we can’t help but be affected by more major events which occur in the real world, whether that is from fifty years ago or in the latest headlines.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">JEAN: I collect news articles that I think could be developed into stories. I worked as a news reporter and bureau chief for a lot of years, and so I continue to be drawn to headlines. Too, from my reporting days, I saw just how awful people can be to each other, which is why I think most of the villains in my cases are humans. My friends are the inspiration for some of the characters in the story. Val, the hippie ghost, is a meld of Valentino and Barret, two fellow journalism students during my days at Northern Illinois University. Valentino, tall, good-looking, marvelous voice, edited a campus newspaper called <i>FREE LUNCH</i> that was based out of his frat house. I guess he was proving that there was such a thing as a free lunch. Barret—lanky, long hair, big beard, a ‘wild man’—was a top-notch reporter who was seriously into marijuana and beer. Put the two together and you get Valentino the Haight-Ashbury ghost. Pete the gargoyle is a meld of two oldish Kenosha pals, former soldiers, who liked micro-brews, social commentary, games, and generally having a good time.</span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">THANKS, JEAN AND DON!</span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">##########</span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can find Book 2 here:</span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Amazon: <a href="http://mybook.to/LoveHaightBk2 ">http://mybook.to/LoveHaightBk2<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></a></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">OR</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Get the Series: <a href="http://mybook.to/LoveHaightSeries">http://mybook.to/LoveHaightSeries</a></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jump to this site and you can get in on a raffle to win some Barnes&Noble bucks!</span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">URL: <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9751c04261/?">http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9751c04261/?</a></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">##########</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">And here an excerpt from Book 2 for your reading pleasure.</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrku_KXPsddbjgY2-CkB5reQlmgaL7nokFC5Er6PXeD8njyZFDattcQlfieum2sbA67_l4JOU0V8e8-k5zPRTwScmVbJmR3CYWnUSrKGOFkPhUIM8eSFG3ZGY1UlsOKN5Jr7yZF2LhqGUf/s940/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files_Bk+2_Facebook_Blog+Tour.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrku_KXPsddbjgY2-CkB5reQlmgaL7nokFC5Er6PXeD8njyZFDattcQlfieum2sbA67_l4JOU0V8e8-k5zPRTwScmVbJmR3CYWnUSrKGOFkPhUIM8eSFG3ZGY1UlsOKN5Jr7yZF2LhqGUf/w400-h335/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files_Bk+2_Facebook_Blog+Tour.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thomas Brock watched the sun set the sky aflame in colors over the ocean. It had been a long day. Although ghosts couldn’t get tired and had no need for sleep, he felt weary. Everyone connected with the Law Offices of Thomas Brock had shoved their regular work aside. Instead, they spent every single moment trying to help find Kaytong’s missing zombie employees, but so far they’d been unsuccessful. Not only had they not found the missing crew, they had no leads—and they were running out of places to look. Still, it was time for everyone to report in and Thomas thought it would be slightly more pleasant to do so up on the roof with a breeze, a view, and a micro-brew (even though Thomas, himself, couldn’t imbibe). Much better than down in the office, surrounded by the same computer screens and legal pads filled with notations documenting failure after failure in their search effort.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pete, the building’s stony gargoyle, who had spent the day using his rocky digits to peck in Thomas’ computer search requests, popped the top off a beer and guzzled it down in an impressively long swig. “I checked in with my fellow gargoyles while you all were fetching up the beer, but got nothing, ‘cept that things went down just like Kaytong said. Lights, trucks, cattle prods, blah, blah, blah. But nobody knows where the trucks went. Unless asked, keeping track of traffic isn’t what us building guardians do.” He scowled at a pigeon perched on top of a vent on the opposite side of the roof. “Aside from keeping winged rats from leaving their droppings all over the place, we’re more concerned with the comings and goings of wrecking crews than cattle trucks. Everybody looks after themselves and their respective buildings first and foremost. Just cuz we’re granite don’t mean we take our existence for granted.” Pete barked out a gravely chuckle and grabbed another beer.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dagger McKenzie, their go-to freelance private investigator and occasional protector, scowled at Pete before turning toward Thomas with his own report. “Well, they didn’t go to the Tenderloin. I checked with every source I could find, and nobody saw anything unusual.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">“But,” interrupted Evelyn, “there are dozens of warehouses—active and abandoned—in the Tenderloin. Would six or ten trucks qualify as unusual?”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Cattle trucks would,” replied Dagger. “Despite the name, there are no slaughterhouses in the Tenderloin district. That’s not how it got its name. And,” he added, “there’s no scent trail ... uh ... according to a source I’ve got who’s sensitive to such things.”</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">About the Authors:</span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhvEV24khdl48yWE0DqIYkpju4CW0DYxbF_f8jjFRS02KfcTnzxgiFrA3g2irZMHFWCUXio3ZwY8mEAskdRWv-xO0RY2XsnhnX43fKIwyTnkU1kRFbOOilGZ_iHUj0pwokdWpqKcnsHHb/s340/jean-rabe-author-pic-1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhvEV24khdl48yWE0DqIYkpju4CW0DYxbF_f8jjFRS02KfcTnzxgiFrA3g2irZMHFWCUXio3ZwY8mEAskdRWv-xO0RY2XsnhnX43fKIwyTnkU1kRFbOOilGZ_iHUj0pwokdWpqKcnsHHb/s320/jean-rabe-author-pic-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p5" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jean Rabe:</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">A USA Today best-seller, Jean Rabe's impressive writing career spans decades, starting as a newspaper reporter and bureau chief.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">From there she went on to become the director of RPGA, a co-editor with Martin H. Greenberg for DAW books, and, most notably, Rabe is an award-winning author of more than forty science fiction/fantasy and murder mystery thrillers.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">She writes mysteries and fantasies, because life is too short to be limited to one genre--and she does it with dogs tangled at her feet, because life is too short not to be covered in fur.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Find out more about her at www.jeanrabe.com, on social media, or sign-up for her newsletter here: https://jeanrabe.com/sign-up-for-my-newsletter/</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A9KpSYZX2jd2WbR1vKNf3gY6YCyYJCZDBAzYVLuPaqxbqWFRlQzWvhVe_aF9l8hHSNSVPnbMhYyF-ICzNVgGbvv-g0OKkwbITEqx-6QOeG3pqxG1TEYE6nv1Nc2ZAOJqLcw2Y03XxmhL/s338/donald-j-bingle.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="338" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5A9KpSYZX2jd2WbR1vKNf3gY6YCyYJCZDBAzYVLuPaqxbqWFRlQzWvhVe_aF9l8hHSNSVPnbMhYyF-ICzNVgGbvv-g0OKkwbITEqx-6QOeG3pqxG1TEYE6nv1Nc2ZAOJqLcw2Y03XxmhL/s320/donald-j-bingle.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p5" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Donald J. Bingle</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Donald J. Bingle is the author of eight books and more than sixty shorter works in the horror, thriller, science fiction, mystery, fantasy, steampunk, romance, comedy, and memoir genres, including the Dick Thornby Thriller series (Net Impact; Wet Work; Flash Drive), Frame Shop, a murder mystery set in a suburban writers’ group, Forced Conversion, a near future scifi thriller, GREENSWORD, a darkly comedic eco-thriller and (with Jean Rabe) The Love-Haight Case Files, Books 1 & 2, a paranormal urban fantasy series about two lawyers who represent the legal rights of supernatural creatures in a magic-filled San Francisco. He also edited Familiar Spirits, an anthology of ghost stories. More on Don and his writing can be found at www.donaldjbingle.com and on social media. Sign-up for his newsletter here: https://www.donaldjbingle.com/newsletter-sign-up</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="color: #255fa6; font-family: Carlito; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">About the Book:</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Supernatural beings are willing to fight for their legal rights!</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since the Summer of Love, the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco has been known for attracting weird and unconventional souls, but things got even stranger when the monsters moved in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Magic has returned to the world and with it a host of supernatural creatures—not just vampires and ghosts, but sentient gargoyles, ghouls, sprites, faeries, and more. The frightened citizenry, holier-than-thou bigots, headline-seeking reporters, and harried police refer to them as OTs (Other-Than-Humans), but Thomas Brock and Evelyn Love believe even supernatural creatures have legal rights.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Delve into their case files for a genre-bending mix of mystery, horror, suspense, thrills, courtroom drama, and romance. The city’s OT element is sometimes malevolent, sometimes misunderstood, and often discriminated against. Brock and Love represent them all, dead, undead, or alive—whatever the case, whatever the species.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">**Winner of three prestigious Silver Falchion Awards **</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">for mysteries, thrillers, and suspense novels: Best Fantasy, Best Urban Fantasy, and Best Multi-Genre Novel.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">ASIN: B098K6SG49</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Publisher: Craig Martelle, Inc (September 20, 2021)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Publication date: September 20, 2021</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Language: English</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Genre: Paranormal Mystery Thriller</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Check it Out on Amazon: <a href="http://mybook.to/LoveHaightBk2">http://mybook.to/LoveHaightBk2</a></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p8" style="color: #304117; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-74225033608552148282021-09-09T14:41:00.005-07:002021-09-09T14:41:40.255-07:00REVEALING THE COVER OF MY NEXT BOOK — EXTRAORDINARY VOYAGES<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk37sqDgp92YI-k3CeMRyhBPGIo6uEEZnjhRmf7eUnl9VdZPzHtdWmM1M0c613rrum-WL8MnOBoE_Q3p_ZlRnjCjwNdwgk59WTJ7SXlVeSOxDz2ZFcPL4yZtoLLCs-FSbm9ZDI5kruZFIj/s2048/EXTRAORDINARY+VOYAGES+FULL+COVER.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="2048" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk37sqDgp92YI-k3CeMRyhBPGIo6uEEZnjhRmf7eUnl9VdZPzHtdWmM1M0c613rrum-WL8MnOBoE_Q3p_ZlRnjCjwNdwgk59WTJ7SXlVeSOxDz2ZFcPL4yZtoLLCs-FSbm9ZDI5kruZFIj/w640-h470/EXTRAORDINARY+VOYAGES+FULL+COVER.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">I'm very happy today to reveal the cover of my next book, which will be published in November as an ebook and as a paperback. The cover was designed by the very talented </span><a href="https://www.juanjpadron.com/about-me" style="font-family: trebuchet;">Juan Jose Padron</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">It is a compilation tome comprising some </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">of my short writings. Fans of 19th Century science fiction will recognize that I have borrowed the title from the well-traveled Jules Verne. I hope he doesn't mind.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before each piece, is a short introduction, which I'm including in this blog to give you a feel for the book.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErargQWIxDcOpIdx8QFjyrH5B1Tb9rIFSWdOHD9-R51WK7C9oD9KI0Xa3_OzFSafKKMzMCIpaSucePXgTIJRyHIWVV1EXmt3FT-x5iwX2-Igl9fc8aeU8ffj3idQVC0KZC-yRzmE9fhAi/s2048/EXTRAORDINARY+VOYAGES+FRON+COVER.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErargQWIxDcOpIdx8QFjyrH5B1Tb9rIFSWdOHD9-R51WK7C9oD9KI0Xa3_OzFSafKKMzMCIpaSucePXgTIJRyHIWVV1EXmt3FT-x5iwX2-Igl9fc8aeU8ffj3idQVC0KZC-yRzmE9fhAi/w426-h640/EXTRAORDINARY+VOYAGES+FRON+COVER.jpeg" width="426" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-dba09c15-7fff-f8fe-728a-dd501f06d1af"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">MADE ON THE MOON</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 16pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Novella</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Made on the Moon </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was originally published as a stand-alone novella by Crossroad Press in 2017. It had had a long journey starting in the 1970s. I outline that journey in “From Stage to Page—The Phases of Made on the Moon” later in this book. This version has been slightly revised from the 2017 edition.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFK_UKGA0YxhilV6jJWHAFIBjuhzSlmKMuGqk_mGnd-m2bI-K2YIHKtNYhrc_dSm_98zGqs1yYQGxj62ZNQ5MNIp_1G1COXtcPeB4XGhsgEnWZI8dhLybaEj2dFlj65Tn4ULpl0wyrDIV/s2048/EV+COVER+3D7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFK_UKGA0YxhilV6jJWHAFIBjuhzSlmKMuGqk_mGnd-m2bI-K2YIHKtNYhrc_dSm_98zGqs1yYQGxj62ZNQ5MNIp_1G1COXtcPeB4XGhsgEnWZI8dhLybaEj2dFlj65Tn4ULpl0wyrDIV/s320/EV+COVER+3D7.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT A PLEASURE IT’S BEEN</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">TO PISS IN PORCELAIN</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 16pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Rude Poems of Stanley Lewis</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Assuming you have already read </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Made on the Moon </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">you will have noted that its protagonist, Stanley Lewis, had once been a poet of some fame and/or infamy, depending on how you feel about poems </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">about birds and the power and beauty of flight, especially as a symbol of the soul ascending. Following are some of his poems.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFB4kewgIcM4gcARyqZ1cEPVeuYEUvLMmpDYDsuTd6bXzowoYsx9BRpLAGVZ-WxP44U4Ayn8jG_NWs3a1ZXk4sgfdGaxQnIfjJpDRXXuatW4YUzRtg1wNKGE2RgfaAloKMEVy0PASkAT4/s2048/EV+COVER+3D5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFB4kewgIcM4gcARyqZ1cEPVeuYEUvLMmpDYDsuTd6bXzowoYsx9BRpLAGVZ-WxP44U4Ayn8jG_NWs3a1ZXk4sgfdGaxQnIfjJpDRXXuatW4YUzRtg1wNKGE2RgfaAloKMEVy0PASkAT4/w320-h213/EV+COVER+3D5.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">CYRANO DE BERGERAC</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"> AND BARON MUNCHAUSEN</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">GO TO MARS</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 16pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Short Story</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7cc36d47-7fff-e0a2-7b8b-bba6fb8ad63f" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This story was written for the anthology of short stories </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turning the Tied. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was published</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in 2021 by the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers. The revenue generated from the book was donated to the World Literacy Foundation. I have slightly revised it for its inclusion here.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cyrano de Bergerac (1619—1655) and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hieronymus Karl Friedrich, Freiherr von Münchhausen (1720—1797) were both real individuals and fictional characters</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Cyrano de Bergerac actually was a famous swordsman and author of one of the first works of science fiction, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other World: Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sometimes known as </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Voyage to the Moon. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hieronymus Karl Friedrich, Freiherr von Münchhausen or Baron Munchausen was infamous as a teller of outrageously tall tales at diners he hosted. Cyrano was fictionalized by French playwright Edmond Rostand in 1897. The Baron never wrote down any of his tales, but tales attributed to him were published by a series of writers. They were not “licensed” to do so, and the Baron was not happy about this. Nevertheless, is it possible that these scribes were the very first tie-in writers? It is to wonder.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgvisig9sKJ79F3-PTAeQ02DDi6hCoMlX_jV5Q7lFDULdDGhwkxAPbpnTXY6D61DqDDcTN67z952hgYClEDI4LqbP2ePPas76z1FjXAxZ-kMcQ2gVcFcD3H85amMzyw9Ks-ycH0NBE8D9/s2048/EV+COVER+3D11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgvisig9sKJ79F3-PTAeQ02DDi6hCoMlX_jV5Q7lFDULdDGhwkxAPbpnTXY6D61DqDDcTN67z952hgYClEDI4LqbP2ePPas76z1FjXAxZ-kMcQ2gVcFcD3H85amMzyw9Ks-ycH0NBE8D9/s320/EV+COVER+3D11.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">FROM STAGE TO PAGE</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 16pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE PHASES OF </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MADE ON THE MOON</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 16pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">An Essay</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fba35854-7fff-e3b5-9d04-1dc793d1cd19"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: large;">I first published this essay on my blog, The Emotional Rationalist, in 2019. I have made some minor revisions for its inclusion here.</span></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfyeth3Stn9QCELBewlMDXkbjrAAcBNchEiYyF_ZWiejsOnfJtYW_Qi3xcDtXUhh4VgN7xB7LztOvteu2kn4rAFQ2xuckSLvUHr9qUGF_Gnf9BRZpf68L8FlGiK900uHz6BEQlmE1aOLc/s2048/EV+COVER+3D4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="2048" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfyeth3Stn9QCELBewlMDXkbjrAAcBNchEiYyF_ZWiejsOnfJtYW_Qi3xcDtXUhh4VgN7xB7LztOvteu2kn4rAFQ2xuckSLvUHr9qUGF_Gnf9BRZpf68L8FlGiK900uHz6BEQlmE1aOLc/s320/EV+COVER+3D4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin: 0pt 14pt 3pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT I WOULD PUT ON MY WIKIPEDIA PAGE IF I THOUGHT WIKIPEDIA WOULD LET ME</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 16pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">A WackiWiki</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ff170468-7fff-ee7f-90cf-0858cdcd66d9"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Generally speaking, writers like to write, but they hate to market. And yet in this Twenty-first Century, we are encouraged to do so. The philosophy being, if you don’t thump your own tub, no one else will. This being the case it is often suggested that a writer should have a Wikipedia page to help spread their “brand.” Having a brand is a concept I abhor, but I do see the logic behind it. I once tried to come up with a text for a potential Wikipedia page for myself. Unfortunately, the satiric writer in me supplanted the logical marketeer, and the following is all I could come up with.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="display: inline-block; position: relative; width: 100px;"></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkZ-uynWlNVw7Pzl2jAjzd5EH9TjrocMqTX5yf1MvCz8BEyZCHAlO_DtcJvIMpPIgES4Z24gEq3uGb53UGy1zOOGgfD48cnzOyFUsYsGFQbtOzLiiEEPs0t2kqVKoXmkzBNfCwGk5xFID/s2048/EV+COVER+BACK.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1326" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkZ-uynWlNVw7Pzl2jAjzd5EH9TjrocMqTX5yf1MvCz8BEyZCHAlO_DtcJvIMpPIgES4Z24gEq3uGb53UGy1zOOGgfD48cnzOyFUsYsGFQbtOzLiiEEPs0t2kqVKoXmkzBNfCwGk5xFID/w414-h640/EV+COVER+BACK.jpeg" width="414" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope you will join me on these voyages.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheers to all!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p></div></span></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-74534001225289938412021-08-25T08:50:00.005-07:002021-08-25T08:52:31.889-07:00Welcome to Jean Rabe & Donald J Bingle on their LOVE/HAIGHT blog tour!<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #0e101a; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJL65TRIZ5xxiEJ8heV-gQHNJyGJThruoDwP1vfuTvrQkgJ-Z222hGyltJAs-UuBuKou0AlyhUkywmKQst-_8LjPLQMRwVG7Rzj7xCxlCmMxgHE5dR7lkS4-eKDLjWc9HKqThVXw62wBf/s1235/2021-07-06-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="1235" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJL65TRIZ5xxiEJ8heV-gQHNJyGJThruoDwP1vfuTvrQkgJ-Z222hGyltJAs-UuBuKou0AlyhUkywmKQst-_8LjPLQMRwVG7Rzj7xCxlCmMxgHE5dR7lkS4-eKDLjWc9HKqThVXw62wBf/w640-h250/2021-07-06-2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #0e101a; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #0e101a; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">One of the many sub-genres of the Fantasy genre of literature is Urban Fantasy or Urban Paranormal. As the name implies, the authors just really didn't want to leave the city (where most people live anyway) to traipse about in dark woods. Or frightening forests, or villages of the damned, or freaky farms. Not to mention unsanitary medieval times, or some lost era before recorded history full of dragons and very, very big creatures, and very, very small creatures that they feel compelled to write a history of. No, these authors stick to well-lit urban areas where one can always catch a bus, hail a taxi, or jump on a subway for a quick getaway when being chased by things far more horrible than, say, little yappy well-groomed dogs with sharp teeth in the arms of people whose standard of excellence does not go beyond "Cute." And, of course, there's always the convenience of plenty of public toilets in the city. </span></div></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;">And there are so many urban areas to choose from. In America alone, you have big, bustling New York with all that expended energy, money, and Broadway. And depressed Detroit with some of the highest crime rates, so why not add Zombies? Or Chicago sitting on that big, friggin' lake just right to be the home for any number of creepy, wet creatures with gills. But if you want a picturesque city to contrast with less than picturesque creatures, you would probably pick San Francisco. This is precisely what authors <a href="https://jeanrabe.com/" target="_blank">Jean Rabe</a> and <a href="https://www.donaldjbingle.com/" target="_blank">Donald J. Bingle</a> did. </div></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34zEijO8ly3VdQF4nZH2xU5IDdRSQLp2uyMiK0i-Lnp7Q2bibJS2990bYMY0VjXz4nneX1PNroiN5bOja6rJXG5GO4BEMc11rck0mOPwLhMidYJXfPg0t57s01UYD-7TYdpTxvm7EimFG/s1370/Screen+Shot+2021-08-23+at+2.52.56+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1370" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34zEijO8ly3VdQF4nZH2xU5IDdRSQLp2uyMiK0i-Lnp7Q2bibJS2990bYMY0VjXz4nneX1PNroiN5bOja6rJXG5GO4BEMc11rck0mOPwLhMidYJXfPg0t57s01UYD-7TYdpTxvm7EimFG/w400-h228/Screen+Shot+2021-08-23+at+2.52.56+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwF_XFcgfyy7TAzR3tgJ-waUFCkOS_PYR7UuQxzeL7VplmH_qezr2SVOFck_KuK3jH-JRgjrAmAjvongPowTZ2OcfIRyP_IbqUtRAwqbRjNbK5OuV4yjZxMcHKPrOzJDnl8CcwCEEaF_5/s806/Bingle2019WaterlineSeriousPhoto.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwF_XFcgfyy7TAzR3tgJ-waUFCkOS_PYR7UuQxzeL7VplmH_qezr2SVOFck_KuK3jH-JRgjrAmAjvongPowTZ2OcfIRyP_IbqUtRAwqbRjNbK5OuV4yjZxMcHKPrOzJDnl8CcwCEEaF_5/w266-h400/Bingle2019WaterlineSeriousPhoto.webp" width="266" /></span></a></div></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">San Francisco also features the world-famous (if you remember the 1960s) Haight-Ashbury district. One of Rabe and Bingle's protagonists being named Evelyn Love; this allowed them to name their novel of urban fantasy </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Love/Haight Case Files. </em></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl-cDNtkkFMDVqSDReB1t3ji-rbEyVrtZGMRxsnb3Dzi5XqelmVsLxH8QURyRvtMXPYhtcM7fdNR4mfwv5m5hH1PvRSNSIkmLtt3k-MLOjs-l8GL0ZO8H97wIX0w3YB7cDM0Cw3axvKT1/s924/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files+1+ebook+%25281%2529.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl-cDNtkkFMDVqSDReB1t3ji-rbEyVrtZGMRxsnb3Dzi5XqelmVsLxH8QURyRvtMXPYhtcM7fdNR4mfwv5m5hH1PvRSNSIkmLtt3k-MLOjs-l8GL0ZO8H97wIX0w3YB7cDM0Cw3axvKT1/w261-h400/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files+1+ebook+%25281%2529.webp" width="261" /></a></div><br /><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">A nifty title, I'm sure you'll agree. The book came out in 2015 and won three prestigious Silver Falchion Awards given out every year by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference. But it is just now being re-released in a new edition as </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 1: Seeking Supernatural Justice </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">to herald the release next month of </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 2: Fighting for Other-Than-Human Rights.</em></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></em></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbc6AK4z3Nst1bB0iSCte3e3vD9i9gPvi8kZdfU4si_kpgCLtmMH56sF_ZA14Yqcc9hRG0NlzS-iKhaZckNhMUyR7Puokirf1X23BeRpK7mBs66TiUf-QrbCmssHOJZblA9SySycPjaPZ/s920/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files+2+ebook.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbc6AK4z3Nst1bB0iSCte3e3vD9i9gPvi8kZdfU4si_kpgCLtmMH56sF_ZA14Yqcc9hRG0NlzS-iKhaZckNhMUyR7Puokirf1X23BeRpK7mBs66TiUf-QrbCmssHOJZblA9SySycPjaPZ/w263-h400/The+Love-Haight+Case+Files+2+ebook.webp" width="263" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></em></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Rabe and Bingle have done a brilliant job of creating a modern world where supernatural creatures—zombies and ghouls and ghosts, and even stone gargoyles—seem just as natural in the landscape as you or me or those other people. Even to the point of suffering bias and prejudice just because they happen to be undead or occasionally turn into werewolves or are made of stone. Or are dead-dead and float around as transparent ghosts. These little quirks in their nature cause them to be not-so-nicely labeled as Other Than Human, or OTs for short. But Evelyn Love, a newly minted lawyer, and Thomas Brock, a freshly minted ghost who was a lawyer, come into the picture as the upright defenders of the rights of OTs. Rabe and Bingle explore through breathless action, humor, characters to care about, and a pure sense of justice, the good and bad of humanity—even when it's not entirely human. There are four cases in </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 1: Seeking Supernatural Justice. </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The last case ends with a big fat hint that there will be more to come. It was a hint you could have taken to the blood bank, for on September 20th, you will be able to withdraw </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 2: Fighting for Other-Than-Human Rights. </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">But first, do get </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Love-Haight Case Files, Book 1: Seeking Supernatural Justice, </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">and discover frights even worse than Lombard Street.</span></div></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Here's some more info on the books to stir your reading desires.</span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Thomas Brock and Evelyn Love are attorneys who crusade for the rights of OTs—Other-Than-Humans. Their clients include ghosts, gargoyles, vampires, and things that have not yet been given names. The city’s OT element is sometimes malevolent, sometimes misunderstood, and often discriminated against. Brock and Love represent them, whatever the case, whatever the species. Magic hangs heavy in San Francisco, and danger and intrigue is as thick as the fog around the Golden Gate Bridge.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">"Love-Haight is a comedy, locked within a mystery, hidden in a horror story... Wonderfully clever, stylish, and ghoulish. Delightfully twisted fun!" —William C. Dietz, New York Times bestselling creator of The Legion of the Damned</span></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">"Making the freakiest burg in the nation ten times freakier is a considerable achievement. —Glen Cook, bestselling author of The Black Company series"</span></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> +++++++++</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Excerpt</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“I <span style="letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">did not have a useless life, Evelyn Love.” The gargoyle was one of the more grotesque-looking ones in the city. He had the face of a demon and a body that resembled a scaly ape. Pete, the gargoyle that guarded the building where she worked and lived, was downright cuddly compared to this rock. But just because he was a scary-looking, sentient stone carving, didn’t mean Thurman didn’t have feelings, too, just like anyone else, human or paranormal.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Evelyn rested her hand on Thurman’s shoulder, the green-veined granite smooth from the decades of rain and wind and feeling cool against her palm. She looked over the building edge, ten stories up from the street. “I couldn’t get an injunction and—”</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“You have been most kind,” Thurman said.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">She held the small recorder in front of his expressionless face, her fingers trembling and her stomach twisting. Evelyn felt in part responsible; if she’d been victorious in court she wouldn’t be recording his last words. The two of them might be celebrating with a good micro-brew.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“My last words?” The gargoyle twisted his head, the sound grating like stone against stone and setting her teeth to ache. “I thought an earthquake would be the end of me, lightning, or some other act of God that I’d grown too weak to stand against. That is what we do—fortify the structures we choose as our homes. Our presence protects and strengthens buildings, and I struggled very hard to keep this one intact. I did not have a useless life. I coaxed the stone around me to rail against the big earthquake in 1906, and all the smaller ones that came in the decades after. That is our purpose, Evelyn, to give our magic to the building we’re attached to. Keep it safe, the people inside safe. It is why we exist.” He pointed to a building directly across the street. “From the fires that followed in 1906 … that will be the only survivor from this neighborhood. And all that remains original there is the sandstone façade.” He sighed, the sound like the surf hushing in. “I watched them rebuild that one. Albert Pissis, the architect, he kept the façade for posterity, designed the department store behind it. I listened to him, directing the workers. He quoted someone named Rizal, and it stuck with me. ‘It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is like a stone wasted on the field without becoming a part of any edifice.’ I did not have a useless life.”</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Tears slid down Evelyn’s cheeks. She pulled in a breath and glanced down at the small crowd beyond the crane on Market Street. Ten stories up, she couldn’t read the signs some of them carried. Police kept them back for safety. Christmas decorations hung in some of the windows, lighted wreaths from lampposts, the cheery appearance seeming incongruous to her.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">There were sawhorse barricades on both ends of the block, and she knew they would remain throughout the week, no doubt pissing off the neighboring merchants who would have a slow-down in business.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“Time’s up!” came from a policeman down below, a bullhorn against his face. “Come down, Ms. Love.”</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">She turned off the recorder. “I have to go.”</span></div><div style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">“Save my brothers, Evelyn Love. Save your Pete.”</span></div></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><div style="color: #0e101a; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> ++++++++</div><div style="color: #0e101a; font-size: x-large; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">The Love-Haight Case Files #1, Seeking Supernatural Justice</div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #0f1111;">ASIN : B098J8L6W5</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #0f1111;">Publisher : Craig Martelle, Inc (August 23, 2021)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: #0f1111;">Publication date : August 23, 2021</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098J8L6W5/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1" target="_blank">GET THE BOOK HERE!</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">And enter the LOVE/HAIGHT RAFFLE FOR A $35 BARNES & NOBLE GIFT CARD by following the link below</div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 13.5pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: start;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="background-color: white; color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div style="font-family: helvetica, arial; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9751c04256/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" shape="rect" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9751c04256/</a>?<br clear="none" /></span></div><div style="font-family: helvetica, arial; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u></u> </span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></span></div><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-70043252271430451632021-07-12T11:21:00.001-07:002021-07-12T11:21:11.712-07:00Is Love THE Story?<p> </p><span id="docs-internal-guid-046d7ba5-7fff-3cf0-48c5-12c87dd5d8f9"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don't know where someone might find the statistics on this, but I would be willing to bet that in all the stories told by humans, a good majority of them are love stories or have, at least, love as an essential part. Love that is, in all its variations and colors.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can go back to the earliest story we know of, the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Epic of Gilgamesh</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which dates from the 13th to the 10th century BCE. In it, everything revolves around the love between King Gilgamesh and his best friend, Enkidu. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguye8TlSCCrH90OF-3sLswHLYqEX2QCtE1SRB8FiAVL5YfSWRgr1GXt3G7JPWnP5Vdg1Xb4bxPHm83NaB8K3k7idVb38F1hTrPKhVlhbsA2I0mZAlBlFbH0c2hlCWTehj-VLB3UzLUSfgc/s522/Gilgamesh+and+Enkidu.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="422" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguye8TlSCCrH90OF-3sLswHLYqEX2QCtE1SRB8FiAVL5YfSWRgr1GXt3G7JPWnP5Vdg1Xb4bxPHm83NaB8K3k7idVb38F1hTrPKhVlhbsA2I0mZAlBlFbH0c2hlCWTehj-VLB3UzLUSfgc/w324-h400/Gilgamesh+and+Enkidu.jpeg" width="324" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enkidu and Gilgamesh</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was, as far as we know, the very first bromance. Forward to Homer's </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iliad, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a great epic of war, and you'll find that Achilles' love for Patroclus, his closest companion is essential in concluding both the war and the story. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6iwa1BW6pQSG8_j24uyIRXsq_vCXEMvNuqvXs_UyQq76HvgdEJRrOkzT-Nwg6gbcpYDKb-11yXkiKD6_Jd3mSw0_4aydzcUhEMc-P7vfDVZos0jVxp7r5BfQ0s2oBxFAUeJ6buSfQ2OP/s1280/Achilles+and+Patroclus.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1280" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6iwa1BW6pQSG8_j24uyIRXsq_vCXEMvNuqvXs_UyQq76HvgdEJRrOkzT-Nwg6gbcpYDKb-11yXkiKD6_Jd3mSw0_4aydzcUhEMc-P7vfDVZos0jVxp7r5BfQ0s2oBxFAUeJ6buSfQ2OP/w400-h395/Achilles+and+Patroclus.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Achilles and Patroclus</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And in Homer's </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Odyssey,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Odysseus' love for his wife Penelope survives his ten years of fighting in the Trojan War. And his ten years of stunning detours to get back to her after the war.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWD12f6J0c-C0ZILfXZ7zyJKte3V-TZUYeYgh3f4BZI00y5D0OvJiJDYmwruxo6fW219GNsoAaAhdnud48wQDS9gWi8Lw-jvjVUKTXF-IFHd4Me7_CvSSN1vqnTWUBOGZ78dRY3l0m718/s552/Odysseus-and-Penelope.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="552" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWD12f6J0c-C0ZILfXZ7zyJKte3V-TZUYeYgh3f4BZI00y5D0OvJiJDYmwruxo6fW219GNsoAaAhdnud48wQDS9gWi8Lw-jvjVUKTXF-IFHd4Me7_CvSSN1vqnTWUBOGZ78dRY3l0m718/w400-h240/Odysseus-and-Penelope.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odysseus and Penelope</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shakespeare wrote one of the greatest love stories, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Romeo and Juliet.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh6SvNwCB-RF9Itcl0hZOtOpcvFASjS2Nbg1YMqMYx7Qym8qZgP3wHRUz04prPp_5H9CH5hjSdqDHf2X0bVmmc49eLbHV5DsVMCmTUL2ftOOIV_fFFMBl_b0k1zVMFWZALu9VeQssFhXi/s736/RomeoandJuliet.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="736" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh6SvNwCB-RF9Itcl0hZOtOpcvFASjS2Nbg1YMqMYx7Qym8qZgP3wHRUz04prPp_5H9CH5hjSdqDHf2X0bVmmc49eLbHV5DsVMCmTUL2ftOOIV_fFFMBl_b0k1zVMFWZALu9VeQssFhXi/w400-h291/RomeoandJuliet.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romeo and Juliet (and Nurse)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But you'll also find love and romance throughout all his plays—some comedic, some tragic, some historical.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In just six novels published in the early 19th century, Jane Austin set the tone for love stories and romance ever since while setting them squarely in the ordinary domestic world of her time. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And what would the history of our most influential art form today, film, have been without love stories? From rom-coms to bittersweet romances to screwball comedies revolving around fast-bantering couples romancing each other through wit and outrageous behavior.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What about today? Love is often the subject or certainly an essential component in novels, films, and TV. Some inform us about love. Some give us a vicarious experience of love—and romance. Even if we're pretty happy in our own loves and romance, it is still a pleasure to experience other people's joy in loving another.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think about a couple socializing with another couple for the first time. In getting to know each other, what often is the first question one couple will ask the other? "So, how did you guys meet?" This also implies the question of how and why you fell in love. And if the couple is married, exactly how did he (or she) pop the question? There is great satisfaction in other people's love stories. Indeed, it is probably quite natural to want to know. For comparison's sake? For confirmation that, yes, love does exist? For the love of happy stories?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love does not really make the world go around. But how dismal the daily spinning of our planet would be without it.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaQYzD0JZ6QOTBssIvUvbX9hGdIGN6KOXqOTMqowsuAHTwJNBSHIO4EVBItp27zhfcmPdEsOfsTxbI9QLK9FkLk6k6Q8MiqzzWcR4IPIu_qRX9r4q88SEH6eWPb7ZzyRC5R08T0XeRWZi/s785/Earth.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="785" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaQYzD0JZ6QOTBssIvUvbX9hGdIGN6KOXqOTMqowsuAHTwJNBSHIO4EVBItp27zhfcmPdEsOfsTxbI9QLK9FkLk6k6Q8MiqzzWcR4IPIu_qRX9r4q88SEH6eWPb7ZzyRC5R08T0XeRWZi/w400-h400/Earth.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are Love and Romance two different things? Of course, they are. Romance is usually the first blush excitement of meeting (whether cute or not), chasing, sometimes verbal sparring, and resolution—hopefully in each other's arms. Love is something more profound, with many facets, and if it is true, more enduring. Not every romance ends in love. And not every love is romantic. But who can deny that there is still elation in the former and satisfaction in the latter? When the two do come together, it is something special that storytellers have been trying to portray and define for ages.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My latest novel, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bully 4 Love</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpmrlpeirNiYqXov8grrvbebTCVMRtTJ_Wg-MDZehMwG_jw8ZNb0Mp5OrHlDR2juOkxGcsxSwT-yZ9GBXIqH_RPEwr6vtiKJwuWe7XsaL-X4-FGnEO1shOw591XKQhQZUJQRsr15Kzukr/s2048/BULLY+4+LOVE+ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpmrlpeirNiYqXov8grrvbebTCVMRtTJ_Wg-MDZehMwG_jw8ZNb0Mp5OrHlDR2juOkxGcsxSwT-yZ9GBXIqH_RPEwr6vtiKJwuWe7XsaL-X4-FGnEO1shOw591XKQhQZUJQRsr15Kzukr/w266-h400/BULLY+4+LOVE+ebook.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is the second in a trilogy I call my "Love, Sex, and Pursuit of Happiness Novels." They are a trilogy not in story and characters, but rather in theme. All three consider love, sex, and happiness, but each takes just one of those three as its main inspiration. The first novel, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the Sea </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(2015), </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrv2MlCTVvvYgE1NmbPPhw0ApvxFmUUQMJDI3gGJzCVe-Fygq7y4fZvu6HyMTDNoIlQ0oYkN8zT1gx-ZQ1MrsbhU7T-KOHTKsTYEVcGqOZbtYHQYM_6yRQtSKoXYf0hxLI49IrX-MXdoxk/s400/FINALbythesea+cover+7-9-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrv2MlCTVvvYgE1NmbPPhw0ApvxFmUUQMJDI3gGJzCVe-Fygq7y4fZvu6HyMTDNoIlQ0oYkN8zT1gx-ZQ1MrsbhU7T-KOHTKsTYEVcGqOZbtYHQYM_6yRQtSKoXYf0hxLI49IrX-MXdoxk/w266-h400/FINALbythesea+cover+7-9-14.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has an emphasis on happiness. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bully 4 Love</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as you might guess, has love at its core. And the third, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reluctant Heterosexual</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to be published later this year or early next year, deals with, you will not be surprised to learn, sex.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bully 4 Love </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">set in the 1990s and a bit beyond. It is narrated by Adolphus, a history professor at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California (you know, where they do the Rose Parade each New Year's Day). He agrees to teach a nighttime Adult Education class at a local High School as a favor for a friend. On the first day of class, the first student to walk in is Lavinia, a radiant beauty fashionably dressed and expensively bejeweled, especially her wedding ring. Adolphus is intrigued at first glance. And even more so when Lavinia shows a hunger for education and a deep interest in history. She's a mystery woman. That first night, after class, he secretly follows her out to the front of the school and watches from a distance as she is picked up by a large man in a big Rolls Royce. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He is obviously her husband, judging by the kiss he gives her. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGbvsIakdWRN1QUWjFY1KruNAuVhwC0Al60ptX73NbVg1cVe-G8aQM2M50bgjKRm9wxR3vcN6Y53ee4-K8DxK-bGvpO-qyWcdVSfc6Qad_ROTkyjw4Eo7w7S3oqyC1sPlf5v-HgnDjdDy/s708/B4L_islove_SM+AD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="708" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGbvsIakdWRN1QUWjFY1KruNAuVhwC0Al60ptX73NbVg1cVe-G8aQM2M50bgjKRm9wxR3vcN6Y53ee4-K8DxK-bGvpO-qyWcdVSfc6Qad_ROTkyjw4Eo7w7S3oqyC1sPlf5v-HgnDjdDy/w640-h452/B4L_islove_SM+AD.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One evening, after class, when Lavinia's husband Eugene is out of town, she and Adolphus go to a local historic drug store, replete with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Over two of the fountains' famous vanilla malts, Adolphus learns the story of Lavinia and Eugene's romance and marriage. When Lavinia shows Adolphus a photo of Eugene, he almost falls off his little soda fountain chair and has to force himself not to throw up. Lavinia's Eugene Carson is obviously, despite the time that had passed, Adolphus' Gene Pytka, the bane of his high school existence. The bully who daily harassed the young Adolphus. And who committed an act of violence against Adolphus, both weird and traumatic.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb0irIGQRjqcnD0hyphenhyphenjQAyYFaA7uSWu4oHUfxqHWXh1tdw_mA-T_snjfN3db69lHbI2XyE0fXB_DkwTxpMAEmowLSljmuES_pxbXQP94CVFCesH6G-DdKzxPmDzR4LmOzNE3dpYGMVgFqq/s708/B4L_bullyyouway_SM+ad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="708" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTb0irIGQRjqcnD0hyphenhyphenjQAyYFaA7uSWu4oHUfxqHWXh1tdw_mA-T_snjfN3db69lHbI2XyE0fXB_DkwTxpMAEmowLSljmuES_pxbXQP94CVFCesH6G-DdKzxPmDzR4LmOzNE3dpYGMVgFqq/w640-h452/B4L_bullyyouway_SM+ad.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so begins a rather odd love story, at times a comic tale of twists and turns and surprises. An account of love rejected, love ignored, love revealed—and pizza.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6kvEL5iMSiosQEFP5OM6Zl2MJ8BT3vVIea1bEpUNygG67fsGTuRfCRv6yEJMQViDb1hMQrVA24Q6-l7KBTCAe3ZeX9z26cnV7DKjb78Md7JR0ZDbO2vIAxhu005Pn0VmFIKAEpM2ITm5/s2479/B4L_cuddle_SM+AD+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="2479" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6kvEL5iMSiosQEFP5OM6Zl2MJ8BT3vVIea1bEpUNygG67fsGTuRfCRv6yEJMQViDb1hMQrVA24Q6-l7KBTCAe3ZeX9z26cnV7DKjb78Md7JR0ZDbO2vIAxhu005Pn0VmFIKAEpM2ITm5/w640-h282/B4L_cuddle_SM+AD+.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So if you like love stories, even rather odd ones, not to mention pizza, take a look at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bully 4 Love</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPYiuUyB6PGhYNspsGky0a7GdHHs4jiTJGa-33gRSTkxHW0CLeXcy-JvXAY8rmwo7ttB11kY6rtIzd39DN4edwtmlnaDY7OChLHvAg0FL3B9M77HYYo8LLk-8xosLM6qt_nI9fpMKLvZe/s1834/B4L_SM_AD_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1834" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPYiuUyB6PGhYNspsGky0a7GdHHs4jiTJGa-33gRSTkxHW0CLeXcy-JvXAY8rmwo7ttB11kY6rtIzd39DN4edwtmlnaDY7OChLHvAg0FL3B9M77HYYo8LLk-8xosLM6qt_nI9fpMKLvZe/w640-h438/B4L_SM_AD_2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can check out </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bully 4 Love, By the Sea,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and all of Steven Paul Leiva's books in several genres on his <a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html">MY BOOKS</a> page on his blog at</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html">https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html</a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Or, to directly order the ebook from your local Amazon go to:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-310edad7-7fff-0675-dc9a-55840bf9f751"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMAZON EBOOK </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/2bp4k369" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/2bp4k369</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMAZON PAPERBACK </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/zzpey4rw" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/zzpey4rw</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMAZON UK </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/6dcsfhxp" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/6dcsfhxp</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMAZON CANADA </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/yxt2mszu" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/yxt2mszu</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMAZON AUSTRALIA </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/285rx8fe" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/285rx8fe</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-55793799688271142892021-07-09T07:12:00.020-07:002021-07-09T10:27:49.020-07:00HORROR AND HUMOR: STORYTELLING BLOOD BROTHERS<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> <br /></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0dd1a0e4-7fff-5958-253f-a971bf0c01c7"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Have you ever noticed that a blood-curdling scream and a raucous belly laugh have much in common?</span></span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADzxKudfHcZlfcDbcW3r_tVXg6v6ledHKiEzNCwMWCh_nQvTsEyQ6dAmzr5oHQNeg3DGPFpf_Qo8dhDBIgjEj9nuUg-olY73Mh8YRna3LEU3Vk6JhunWwolXBoAwyedxbJXgZQV_KL2_a/s926/blood+curdling+scream.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="926" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADzxKudfHcZlfcDbcW3r_tVXg6v6ledHKiEzNCwMWCh_nQvTsEyQ6dAmzr5oHQNeg3DGPFpf_Qo8dhDBIgjEj9nuUg-olY73Mh8YRna3LEU3Vk6JhunWwolXBoAwyedxbJXgZQV_KL2_a/s320/blood+curdling+scream.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BLOOD-CURDLING LAUGH</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-iWF5JlHd1OPMSdO81zTCOReFRHvs3glmq_BoWHjepM4ZqpXNOYpGH1XPFyTRESYEPLCwaG2s6ij2thyphenhyphen_vbiOhuMfVHnEHjiT5CqjR6bHT-cYFgkcCPYxgeiDlANBGhyphenhypheny21PAIi00uGD/s2048/belly+laugh+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1893" data-original-width="2048" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-iWF5JlHd1OPMSdO81zTCOReFRHvs3glmq_BoWHjepM4ZqpXNOYpGH1XPFyTRESYEPLCwaG2s6ij2thyphenhyphen_vbiOhuMfVHnEHjiT5CqjR6bHT-cYFgkcCPYxgeiDlANBGhyphenhypheny21PAIi00uGD/w286-h264/belly+laugh+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BELLY LAUGH</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">They both are automatic responses—you couldn't stop them if you tried. They come after either an unexpected fright, in the case of the blood-curdling scream, or an unexpected joke, or pratfall, in the case of the raucous belly laugh. This is also true for a quick intake of breath after a slight scare and a chuckle after a witty jab. I don't know if horror and humor are controlled by the same area of the brain, but if not, their separate areas must be, at the very least, good neighbors. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is why mixing horror with humor is a good bet for creating something entertaining. And why I took on the challenge in my novel, </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrYSCu2eScwYRMpWDNfg2_CJb_13udaIzDCwb490g6FPDVGp_XKUEdVG57yd3AX4CADu86M4Ed1aTWh19GSQ-q4T5Xa3_R_0cUai8qHGZvXpI8uz-C3COhxH6PtjRxligZG_CHXxItCUu/s2048/3D6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrYSCu2eScwYRMpWDNfg2_CJb_13udaIzDCwb490g6FPDVGp_XKUEdVG57yd3AX4CADu86M4Ed1aTWh19GSQ-q4T5Xa3_R_0cUai8qHGZvXpI8uz-C3COhxH6PtjRxligZG_CHXxItCUu/w640-h426/3D6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EBOOK AND PRINT BOOK—TAKE YOUR PICK</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">It takes place in the 1960s when Kathy Anderson, an Actors Studio trained thespian of earnest intent, is stuck in Chicago playing Vivacia the Vampire Woman, hostess of a local late-night TV creature feature movie show. Disgusted with being a sex object for geeks and nerds, she quits the show to head for Broadway and a brilliant theatrical career. She stops off on the way to see her folks in Placidville, the small town she grew up in. But her parents seem a little, shall we say, off. As do the neighbors. And her best friend from high school, Mary. And especially Mary's brother, Gerald, the geekiest nerd (or nerdiest geek, if you prefer) in town. He tries to warn her of dire, dark, and dastardly doings, but Kathy just won’t listen. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As my novel spoofs old monster movies, I looked to precedents such as </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abbott and Costello Meets Frankenstein</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAn_TIIf1zxWP7ureqHoYPBixcdCufmtRxytT-0ZdbvPEc3LZklII5x82P1FFSrvioKx-XMNWvos3XrEWA-DZXBNAzIUwgGtjEd59rcYWcmwT4dfUZSGiZ3orKpdi0QkgOqJ2JGKydPCj/s625/ABBOTT_AND_COSTELLO_MEET_FRANKENSTEIN.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="625" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAn_TIIf1zxWP7ureqHoYPBixcdCufmtRxytT-0ZdbvPEc3LZklII5x82P1FFSrvioKx-XMNWvos3XrEWA-DZXBNAzIUwgGtjEd59rcYWcmwT4dfUZSGiZ3orKpdi0QkgOqJ2JGKydPCj/w400-h314/ABBOTT_AND_COSTELLO_MEET_FRANKENSTEIN.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roger Corman's </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Raven</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> starring Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, and Peter Lorre parodying some of their past efforts, </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zFPherKC-zhJqrCv_vj249ONU4bBIFzl4oN_vfpJjJLT3LlfaYz5ezLyb2Wme1u0hNY_-2QNJgEQY0CQQzciL59FEvQHmOTG7uQ4mZdzgFYTiL2YXUaWW3e4KrBHwUi_Aa0p2sdOA0EZ/s671/440px-RavenPoster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zFPherKC-zhJqrCv_vj249ONU4bBIFzl4oN_vfpJjJLT3LlfaYz5ezLyb2Wme1u0hNY_-2QNJgEQY0CQQzciL59FEvQHmOTG7uQ4mZdzgFYTiL2YXUaWW3e4KrBHwUi_Aa0p2sdOA0EZ/w263-h400/440px-RavenPoster.jpeg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and, of course, Mel Brooks's </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Young Frankenstein</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG6Do61lJT4EvKgj5NIOBCwVxpxM9AiG8QvlC8d0cIZM5ZqwcJBG3jeu7WflrE_QLxXQNbA2N8EiShn792BltB3Th7oWD-X5bledpRjGnzI38YJv-1S33CUv0jw9aLlZ4BAZcLUSkJxb1/s1884/Young+Frank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1884" data-original-width="1217" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG6Do61lJT4EvKgj5NIOBCwVxpxM9AiG8QvlC8d0cIZM5ZqwcJBG3jeu7WflrE_QLxXQNbA2N8EiShn792BltB3Th7oWD-X5bledpRjGnzI38YJv-1S33CUv0jw9aLlZ4BAZcLUSkJxb1/w259-h400/Young+Frank.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">All films near and dear to my funny bone. I took particular note of why they worked so well. It was because of a wisdom of comedy first pointed out to me by Chuck Jones, the great Looney Tunes director of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, et al., and the creator of the Coyote and the Roadrunner. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxvfkqkt2OOqn8-28X8DCERoY3pPfxa379Z7YYBvnjB0eFLXYpJLCTQUW7wS9E35E-HPaU2vKTEdeJkB_JpL3MYY3FYO8ow2Uti603vgUhFMZyGzUV-waKDUC_44xGWnCljmdUNksxsUh/s604/Me+and+Chuck+Jones.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="445" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxvfkqkt2OOqn8-28X8DCERoY3pPfxa379Z7YYBvnjB0eFLXYpJLCTQUW7wS9E35E-HPaU2vKTEdeJkB_JpL3MYY3FYO8ow2Uti603vgUhFMZyGzUV-waKDUC_44xGWnCljmdUNksxsUh/s320/Me+and+Chuck+Jones.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ME AND CHUCK JONES 1991</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I worked with Chuck off and on for years. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">One day we were discussing </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Airplane!</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, the 1980 comedy feature film. I pointed out that many of the gags in the movie seemed much like the work of that other great cartoon director, Tex Avery. Especially Avery's comedy timing and visual surrealness. Chuck agreed but then pointed out that it "worked" as a feature film because they took the plot seriously. "You really cared if that damn plane was going to crash or not," Chuck said. And, indeed, the filmmakers had "borrowed" the plot and characters from the 1957 Paramount film, </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Zero Hour</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, a straight dramatic suspense film.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXfCtdwCMhUDczxYXwOpfrPFZykVwKk5UHO59I_Pp1lyEPDhvdYfl1aqZv64HyIaoN1DaCusdbwphv4b_xNK1i3EsLWS2se7G1gG2Ni_MNC6rULcBhRwbR47u_7Ol7lGf9HjWos9UoPwX/s520/airplane2-poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="520" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXfCtdwCMhUDczxYXwOpfrPFZykVwKk5UHO59I_Pp1lyEPDhvdYfl1aqZv64HyIaoN1DaCusdbwphv4b_xNK1i3EsLWS2se7G1gG2Ni_MNC6rULcBhRwbR47u_7Ol7lGf9HjWos9UoPwX/w400-h297/airplane2-poster.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjv8EDyWxOkqHaZ7YD-GJLqbZSYo8ajMGSwj6zk3iX1XNC1VJsk6E0c_u0BA6XJMgWjYDps6HGOWcdyjGiZaJ1uSAKeycU9iD3GWKxPds2rp0xWApDxS-Ac0lE6mIbkncC0bUdXrhvpfc/s388/Zerohourposter.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="256" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjv8EDyWxOkqHaZ7YD-GJLqbZSYo8ajMGSwj6zk3iX1XNC1VJsk6E0c_u0BA6XJMgWjYDps6HGOWcdyjGiZaJ1uSAKeycU9iD3GWKxPds2rp0xWApDxS-Ac0lE6mIbkncC0bUdXrhvpfc/w264-h400/Zerohourposter.jpeg" width="264" /></a></div></span><p></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">The same could be said of the horror-comedy films mentioned above. The horrible threats from creatures and vampires were real for Abbott and Costello. And in the wizards' duel between Price and Karloff, the dire consequences if the good wizard lost were unthinkable. The confusion and existential angst that Young Frankenstein's monster felt were just as telling as what the original Frankenstein's monster felt. They were just a hell of a lot funnier!</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, in </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I put in as much serious weirdness, threat, frights, flights, suspense, and potential horrible outcomes as I could (I mean, being eaten alive is a pretty horrible potential outcome) to form the skeleton for the flesh of funny. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Besides spoofing old creature feature movies, I added some satire of politics. But that may be too horrible and frightening to discuss at this time.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLQHREqAerAWPtJx5akZeCVIMGzRn_BqV4Cem1i_4Oimdau72vM1rmqDrwMHWtvP_OQ2X2VP0cFgEW5b_WWPoTS5wCPClP7x6lSCpekdjSduIf9czwDopw1ogXgYaik8EIluLylH0fDfT/s2542/scared.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="2542" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLQHREqAerAWPtJx5akZeCVIMGzRn_BqV4Cem1i_4Oimdau72vM1rmqDrwMHWtvP_OQ2X2VP0cFgEW5b_WWPoTS5wCPClP7x6lSCpekdjSduIf9czwDopw1ogXgYaik8EIluLylH0fDfT/w640-h312/scared.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As my novel was imbued with the spirit of monster movies, I wanted the audiobook to be performed more than just read. I wanted it to have fine comedic performances. So, I needed performers with natural wit and an innate sense of comedy timing. I didn't have to look far, for right in my Rolodex was Seamus Dever and Juliana Dever. (I don't really have a Rolodex, but I liked the alliteration.) You will remember the Devers (yes, they are married) from ABC's excellent mystery series, </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Castle</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Seamus played Detective Ryan, a regular on the show. And Juliana guest-starred occasionally as Jenny, his girlfriend and, later, his wife. </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rXOYqr1BXbiaLyrx1IXWz8_nZM6NA3h9LOi-OtZENdGbKfKgwn1IOl6817tfREWJKjwuR2pc2YpDLnt9RficmsHkK41L8Z5aQar9y5YjFNg6tb2WWgNsWVsPzwjav228R_PO_4xFk6KK/s1000/CASTLE-Season-6-SeamusDever2-UnderFire.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rXOYqr1BXbiaLyrx1IXWz8_nZM6NA3h9LOi-OtZENdGbKfKgwn1IOl6817tfREWJKjwuR2pc2YpDLnt9RficmsHkK41L8Z5aQar9y5YjFNg6tb2WWgNsWVsPzwjav228R_PO_4xFk6KK/w640-h426/CASTLE-Season-6-SeamusDever2-UnderFire.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JULIANA DEVER AND SEAMUS DEVER IN CASTLE</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I first met Seamus when I directed him in a staged reading of a one-act play by Ray Bradbury. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHnWo55faO__jyUmBVJnvZWJdQlfxW0Nwrl0FhPMd3huVjw_6Gx8hKpdfCWtoqDLgiKckz2X67966bk05XKKMKeTJ_xc0gESQNxzEiGXIdgv1yM0K_628Pba_Kz8yphFUkzTDdsJnvYUd/s720/James+and++Seamus.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHnWo55faO__jyUmBVJnvZWJdQlfxW0Nwrl0FhPMd3huVjw_6Gx8hKpdfCWtoqDLgiKckz2X67966bk05XKKMKeTJ_xc0gESQNxzEiGXIdgv1yM0K_628Pba_Kz8yphFUkzTDdsJnvYUd/w640-h426/James+and++Seamus.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JAMES CROMWELL AND SEAMUS DEAVER<br />READING A RAY BRADBURY PLAY</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was and remain a fan of </span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Castle</span><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The range of Seamus’s talent from the deeply dramatic to the comedic was well displayed in the series. Seamus is active in Los Angeles theatre, and I rarely miss an opportunity to see him on stage. And his work with Los Angeles Theatre Works (LATW), America's finest radio theater company, has been a delight to follow. Seamus, I knew, would be perfect as the narrator and the characters in the audiobook. But I also knew that Kathy/Vivacia, who is, after all, the main protagonist of the story, needed her own voice. When I saw the wit, lively banter, and obvious chemistry Seamus and Juliana shared in several "lockdown" videos they posted online, it was obvious. Juliana should be my Kathy/Vivacia.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I feel fortunate that Seamus and Juliana agreed to do the audiobook. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oG1cUDHm916VNW4el0zuMdV9rFFy2HeVmRYNaoZUrFLmeVoPCEnT31keYC7mCqrp4EzVm0dHGyqX1jtyO3B_OGV2DwPn_GSG64Cs_Ir5xRLxV0JnSrTQ6tuEqhZYb78J9OA77_6pU9a_/s1600/Creature+Feature+Audio+Ad_1+2.0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oG1cUDHm916VNW4el0zuMdV9rFFy2HeVmRYNaoZUrFLmeVoPCEnT31keYC7mCqrp4EzVm0dHGyqX1jtyO3B_OGV2DwPn_GSG64Cs_Ir5xRLxV0JnSrTQ6tuEqhZYb78J9OA77_6pU9a_/w640-h360/Creature+Feature+Audio+Ad_1+2.0.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A TEASER POSTER FOR THE <br />CREATURE FEATURE AUDIOBOOK</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Besides performing, Seamus produced, directed, and edited the recording, applying his wit and great sense of comedy timing to those efforts as well.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Did my mixing horror and humor work? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">Well, New York Times bestselling author of horror novels Jonathan Maberry </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwluWw_qGndX4rq3Ketv-J8A17PGQrAqOkSehsikXzSK_xUk6RSwlyxRk2iQiWm6Rcejvv41VcDZvoo683yADpqcxcgyDXx6mR4hOfrCB7RfV3oWS9a9ZhqDzF4QJpTEruZD82CeoRR3jG/s1024/jonathan-maberry.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="1024" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwluWw_qGndX4rq3Ketv-J8A17PGQrAqOkSehsikXzSK_xUk6RSwlyxRk2iQiWm6Rcejvv41VcDZvoo683yADpqcxcgyDXx6mR4hOfrCB7RfV3oWS9a9ZhqDzF4QJpTEruZD82CeoRR3jG/w400-h217/jonathan-maberry.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JONATHAN MABERRY</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p>has said: "Creature Feature is a weird, funny, twisty romp through the creepier parts of the American landscape. Highly entertaining and highly recommended." <p></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">And Phil Proctor, one-fourth of The Firesign Theatre, the legendary comedy group that the Library of Congress called "The Beatles of Comedy," </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7AN7b_11hyphenhyphenZMFPz60x28hBTHY_GAXHXz3eqXuvEDYB4WEXTdm6E8tpiWHAY0E95NCx7sdLqjG9oVli-4C19EJPFBHyi5hQwsSBDv-_PKTLLMXh0wEmNHBpWfd3jMkXWX03yYX4LO86W3/s800/phil-proctor-featured.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="800" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7AN7b_11hyphenhyphenZMFPz60x28hBTHY_GAXHXz3eqXuvEDYB4WEXTdm6E8tpiWHAY0E95NCx7sdLqjG9oVli-4C19EJPFBHyi5hQwsSBDv-_PKTLLMXh0wEmNHBpWfd3jMkXWX03yYX4LO86W3/w400-h338/phil-proctor-featured.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHIL PROCTOR</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">said of the audiobook: "This is the most horrible thing I've ever heard—and that's a good thing! It's screamingly funny and probably one of the best performed and produced audiobooks I've ever heard...and I have tinnitus." </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">So, I guess the answer is yes.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</p><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">ALL THE CREATURE FEATURE LINKS YOU COULD USE</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c9ad3d94-7fff-a249-5fde-39dfe931e235"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon ebook </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y4zxh6kf" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 9.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/y4zxh6kf</span></a></b></p><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon UK ebook </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y9zrg8xq" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/y9zrg8xq</span></a></b></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon Australia ebook </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y6h56ozs" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/y6h56ozs</span></a></b></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon Canada ebook </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y3zcqjh9" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/y3zcqjh9</span></a></b></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon India ebook </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y5jghfqm" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/y5jghfqm</span></a></b></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon paperback </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/y6gqyea7" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/y6gqyea7</span></a></b></span></p><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AMAZON AUDIOBOOK </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/yewcv6zx" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/yewcv6zx</span></a></b></p><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AUDIBLE AUDIOBOOK </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/wjr2fb5s" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/wjr2fb5s</span></a></b></p><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CREATURE FEATURE SPEAKS! Blog </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/3k992ent" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/3k992ent</span></a></b></p><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SAMPLE THE FULL FIRST CHAPTER OF CREATURE FEATURE ON YOUTUBE </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/94mz54e5" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/94mz54e5</span></a></b></p><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CREATURE FEATURE SOUNDTRACK</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suite for Le Cinema De Créatures (Music from "Creature Feature - A Horrid Comedy") </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/j4pwydka" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://tinyurl.com/j4pwydka</span></a></b></p><b><br /></b><br /></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /><br /></span><br />Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-61162976427165447972021-07-06T11:02:00.002-07:002021-07-06T11:02:49.398-07:00I'M A HAPPY LITTLE CREATOR OF CREATURES<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7f00aad3-7fff-2943-cadd-464e5ccdb3bd"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m happy to report that the recent blog tour for the audiobook version of my novel </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and special promotion for the ebook edition was a success. Books were sold, good reviews were gathered (see samples below), some wonderful bloggers hosted us on their sites, and the word was spread. As a digital indie author and publisher marketing is never easy, but with the help of Echo Shea of Pssst...Promotions the job gets done.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My biggest satisfaction in this particular effort came when </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creature Feature </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">made it to #1 on the Amazon Political Humor Bestseller List.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="304" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YVGMcgqTmg16muze0He4k2uJkY7qM5SrLzcXECiiDVLx81QrADwR4Gz6ACe7nzuz7ZoExf0mqhD4e63gZyAwUQs2A-jekqa8jfFFKFJHdTFxmdQFYLz44G-CZfGXP5rR7vjTlinS=w640-h304" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-7f00aad3-7fff-2943-cadd-464e5ccdb3bd"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br />This was because although the reaction to the novel, and the beautifully produced audiobook with Seamus Dever and Juliana Dever—produced, directed, and edited by Seamus, I should add—has been gratifyingly positive. But most people have reacted to the humor, the spoofing of old monster and horror movies, even the 1960’s nostalgia. All of which I appreciate because I worked hard to achieve all of that. But the book also travels along the political satire road, and that was important to my vision of the story. Some reviewers hinted at this, but not in specific terms. So to have the designation above was delightful. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">And then—an absolutely fabulous review on the important SFCrowsnest internet magazine came in and included this:</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It’s all good stuff, cleverly presented. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While set in the past, there’s a satire on modern politics thrown in (listen out for the ‘No puppet, no puppet!’ moment)</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and Seamus Dever does a great job of giving the narration the dry, arch tone required. He pitches the asides just right, charming the listener while allowing the funny situations and wordplay to work their magic. While this is a comedy, albeit a rather dark one, the story is a thriller as well. About halfway through, Kathy’s cluelessness is finally broken and the situation becomes far more dangerous. To be fair, the body count is low, apparently just the one poor soul, but the threat is rather more existential. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indeed, the ‘big bad’ of the piece makes it clear that their plans have merely changed in a direction that makes the Reagan presidency seem a lot less, well, human.</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”—</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Neale Monks, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SFCrowsnest</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;">I would bear Mr. Monk’s children if it was physically possible!</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"> In any case here is a sample of other kinds words about the audiobook.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 19pt; margin-top: 38pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"This is the most horrible thing I've ever heard -- and that's a good thing! It's screamingly funny and probably one of the best performed and produced audiobooks I've ever heard...and I have tinnitus." </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--Phil Proctor of the Firesign Theatre</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 19pt; margin-top: 38pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seamus Dever "hits the tone just right--he's close to going over-the-top without ever slipping into parody. It's clearly funny material, but he plays it straight. Still, he sounds like he's having fun--and it's hard not to join in. And Juliana Dever nails the character of Kathy (and her alter ego)...Give this one a shot folks, I think you'll be glad you did." -- </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">H.C. Newton, The Irresponsible Reader Blog</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 19pt; margin-top: 38pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FIVE-STARS! "Creature Feature is a fun fast-paced old-timey horror flick with plenty of humor. I enjoyed it for the one-line jokes, the crazy situations, and the odd characters all tossed together in a completely unexpected situation. Kathy, who at times does come off as a vain self-involved woman, has her moments to shine as a woman of action. Meanwhile, Gerald's years as a science fiction lover and tech nerd have finally paid off - in the form of a supped-up Vespa! Haha! I love the imagery." </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Dab of Darkness Book Reviews</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #595959; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“On a warm June night, I sat on my patio with my Kindle, which will play audiobooks, let my dogs frolic in the yard, tipped back my head, and listened to Creature Feature. MARVELOUS. TRULY MARVELOUS.” -- </span><span style="color: #595959; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jean Rabe, USA Today Bestselling Author</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If you are an audiobook lover, snap this one up! You’ll be so pleased….The narrators are stellar...The whole thing is absurd, hilarious, and just a ton of fun to experience.”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— The </span><span style="color: #464646; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile </span><span style="color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blog</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I loved it! I’m actually thinking of going back and listening to it again because it is so good, it’s so much fun.” </span><span style="color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Jason A. Meuschke, Host of the </span><span style="color: #464646; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sample Chapter Podcast</span><span style="color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Overall, a very entertaining listen, with some splendid music and a few special effects thrown in. The way the book is read elevates it from a straightforward audiobook towards something that feels a lot more like a full cast drama, the range of voices Seamus Dever brings to the piece being so diverse. Juliana Dever is no less talented and, even if she plays just the one part, she does it so well that working together ‘Creature Feature’ whips the listener along towards its thrilling, if worrying, conclusion. Highly recommended.” </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #464646; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> —</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Neale Monks, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SFCrowsnest</span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now we look forward next week to the blog tour and promotion for my latest novel, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bully 4 Love: A Rather Odd Love Story. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 328px; overflow: hidden; width: 219px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><img height="328" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kffYszqNpBhHy66-XZhb3aMVcNrUuyK7xMSQD-4FphXOJdmhtTFT-5rEtyYDpAV8x5sMAKzE_ofSHbG4H_vneXJuJ0qt7CHJ7nAeaah-6aycQAGvjree-dluR3331XAFkC82V4SK" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="219" /></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /></span>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6272410129642122777.post-20878676904996416102021-05-26T07:15:00.000-07:002021-05-26T07:15:04.276-07:00What I Would Put On My Wikipedia Page If I Thought Wikipedia Would Let Me<div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-07045253-7fff-8083-11e5-abe4fd94ef9e" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7h2HoHiKbxau0ycggz3cCsGJbcz3Bb3EM_LnNgDDU3wA2ORFrMpgGdOmvgv2NMw4ndash5oML8uWjBR0o5y-n6iIGkiYGv1lUXb9NXIjPEU_C3jlTckS18Btm1U4NmA3DW6K_Fw2Dxua0/s747/WIKI+BLOG+PIC+1+%25281%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="747" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7h2HoHiKbxau0ycggz3cCsGJbcz3Bb3EM_LnNgDDU3wA2ORFrMpgGdOmvgv2NMw4ndash5oML8uWjBR0o5y-n6iIGkiYGv1lUXb9NXIjPEU_C3jlTckS18Btm1U4NmA3DW6K_Fw2Dxua0/w640-h300/WIKI+BLOG+PIC+1+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steven Paul Leiva is an American novelist who once led a secret life in Hollywood. He was born at The Woman's Hospital in Pasadena, California, on May 26, 1949, shortly before noon. It was just like him to show up for lunch. Soon after his birth, they razed The Woman's Hospital and put a parking lot in its place. It's never been firmly established if the two events were related.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the age of three and a half, Leiva's family moved to the city of Azusa, just east of Pasadena, where he grew up. The city's motto was "Everything from A to Z in the USA." The motto was not wholly accurate.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levia attended Azusa High School, a well-funded school due to the taxes paid by businesses in Azusa that brewed beer, concocted friction proofing, and built rockets. It's never been firmly established if the three were related.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While attending Azusa High, Leiva fell in with the wrong crowd—the Drama Department and its Aztec Players troupe of actors. Leiva loved acting. But upon graduation, he discovered that he wasn't six feet tall (as his mother had always promised he would be). And so, traveling under the false assumption that all actors had to be six feet tall, Leiva gave up the idea of acting and decided to write instead. He figured you didn't need to be tall to write.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Right out of high school, as the war in Vietnam was heating up, Leiva enlisted in the Air Force as a way to avoid the draft. It was a counterintuitive idea, if not downright ironic. However, after a career of twenty-two days, Leiva was discharged due to a discharge from a cyst in a sensitive place. It wasn't quite as glamorous as moving to Canada, but it did the trick.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back home, Leiva enrolled in the local community college (then, embarrassingly known as a junior college) to see if he could learn a thing or two. Some colleges are named after great men or women or the major urban area they are located in. His college was named after fruit. Nevertheless, Leiva did learn a thing or two at Citrus College, and was grateful to do so.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From Citrus College, Leiva left Azusa to continue his fruity education in Orange County. He entered the hollow halls of a state college (later, it grew up and became a state university). He soon left those hollow halls when he found himself unable to suppress chuckling at professors who professed that they were </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> living a pristine, un-real-world Ivory Tower existence because they actually drove to work on the freeway. (yes, Leiva didn't get it, either). There was also the fact that he was now married with his first child. So he left the college </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">summa come-to-poppa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and entered the world of retail (which is most definitely not an ivory tower existence).</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leiva became a major appliance salesman of very little talent. He was happy to help people purchase appliances they wanted but had an aversion to talking them into refrigerators and stoves they didn't want—silly him.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leiva consoled himself by writing short stories. He found—as he suspected he would—that the landscaping of blank pages with little black letters forming words forming sentences forming paragraphs forming characters, ideas, causes & effects was not only fun but possibly nourishing. So he left retail.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or, to be honest, retail left him. Much like his marriage had a few months before.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Set adrift in a no-income real world with nary an ivory tower to be found, Leiva scanned the Help Wanted pages of the Los Angeles Times. His eyes fell eagerly onto HELP WANTED: ADVERTISING SALESMAN FOR AN ARTS MAGAZINE. YOUR INTEREST IN THE ARTS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR ABILITY TO SELL.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perfect! As Leiva had a deep interest in the arts and absolutely no ability to sell.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leiva went in for an interview and learned that it was a commission-only job. He was disappointed. There was something about a counted-upon paycheck that he had grown accustomed to. However, the editor of the magazine, a perfectly lovely man who unfortunately dressed like a pimp, having been informed of the circumstances of Leiva's separation from his last job, told Leiva to file for unemployment. "Around here, we call unemployment, government support of the arts."</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so Leiva filed for unemployment and strived to sell ad space in the magazine with little, or possibly minuscule, success. Still, the editor saw something in Leiva and gave him a shot at writing uncompensated articles and reviews for the magazine. Which was damn nice of him. Leiva happily landscaped some blank pages with pieces about art, creativity, beauty, and joy.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But there was a dark cloud on the horizon. It was called Hollywood. Not the photographic, flashy Hollywood of glamorous stars and larger-than-life producers and directors, and couches to cast upon, and craft services to get fat on. But the hand-drawn Hollywood of cartoons (sometimes thought of as animation—when they were thought of at all). It was a secret world of adherents and acolytes with code words and knowing nods. Leiva found himself recruited into a cartoon cult. There were strange initiation rites and hazing. He was forced at times to wear no pants, to stuff his five-fingered hands into four-fingered gloves, and to speak in a funny voice. Funny ha-ha </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> funny weird. There were cult leaders of one-syllable names, and enforcers who drew the line and demanded you always be on model.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once again, Leiva consoled himself by landscaping blank pages with little black letters forming words forming sentences forming paragraphs forming characters, ideas, causes & effects. But this time, he was writing novels. As he suspected he would, he found that it was not only fun but possibly life-saving.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After nearly twenty years in the cartoon cult, Leiva rose to a high position and was given a "plum" mission. He was tasked to help facilitate the pairing of wacky, crazy, dare we say, looney cartoon illusions-of-life (anthropomorphic in the main) with fast dribbling, high jumping, and often sweaty, taller-than-normal actual-life. Ironically this afforded Leiva the opportunity to escape the cult when a tunnel formed between the worlds of the illusion-of-lifers and the actual-lifers.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He made his break, crawling as fast as he could through the tunnel, careful to avoid the monsters and creatures dwelling within. Once thought mythical, Leiva had discovered that they were all too real. With cunning and stealth, he slipped past the Flaming Egos (although he did get singed). Leiva slid unseen under the feet of the Prancing Primadonnas (boy, could they dance!). He managed to stay under the radar of the Tiny Meanie Caustic Clueless Executors (whose wild calls of NO! never stopped reverberating). And luckily Leiva was ignored by the Dark Digital Demons streaming </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">en masse</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> through the tunnel to the illusion-of-life land to suck the pencil lead out of the weak, defenseless cartoons and replace it with zeros and ones.</span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Leiva didn't care. He broke out of the tunnel and into the sunshine, free! Free to be he and him!</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hand-in-hand with his second wife and second child and occasionally his visiting first child (all adored), Leiva found an open and vast world of blank pages. Beautiful blank pages he could landscape with little black letters forming words forming sentences forming paragraphs forming characters, ideas, causes & effects. Leiva was finally happy. It has been firmly established that the two events were related.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leiva's landscaped landscapes, commonly known as novels, can be checked out <a href="https://emotionalrationalist.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html">HERE</a>. </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnojTB6OGyyo8l_9pGlU0d-OaJ535dpz6Z8RQhIJslgkmmksX_7PFvJuTjaRrjgO65LKBJqfK47EMdkds0cIn0d8vfFaGyvkPQXIc63z0LodxW88nzxxeQSB7iYKGB1GBXBQw2QoeCPdKL/s1748/Screen+Shot+2021-05-19+at+5.11.04+PM.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1748" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnojTB6OGyyo8l_9pGlU0d-OaJ535dpz6Z8RQhIJslgkmmksX_7PFvJuTjaRrjgO65LKBJqfK47EMdkds0cIn0d8vfFaGyvkPQXIc63z0LodxW88nzxxeQSB7iYKGB1GBXBQw2QoeCPdKL/w640-h301/Screen+Shot+2021-05-19+at+5.11.04+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinf4gqS8pOZfJtFO3gaP2sCMXI7Hc3KVY9DjxajOzVC0wv9VXR7x0T5s7ho_agUoAciWoIouaPTfk5gnHHscF1Z38uCX24pWd45P_pbEzT6EJC9-zXzAvqjhRs10LYns8u5T1pnHqLQY7u/s1940/Screen+Shot+2021-05-19+at+5.14.27+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1940" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinf4gqS8pOZfJtFO3gaP2sCMXI7Hc3KVY9DjxajOzVC0wv9VXR7x0T5s7ho_agUoAciWoIouaPTfk5gnHHscF1Z38uCX24pWd45P_pbEzT6EJC9-zXzAvqjhRs10LYns8u5T1pnHqLQY7u/w640-h302/Screen+Shot+2021-05-19+at+5.14.27+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; 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color: #0e101a; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDa6epnbwFH6L52aBQMCaRN0voPqVuXZXD9HFvOhi0JgzBW3ZFFd8CQ-xf5gBtSIT5owAXSP4h4BDWsb3ufSlRJP6MYojh7XzmWME60OpdRBBnor5cXyDYWASFSVio0eO_QezWNqu9lXik/s1786/Screen+Shot+2021-05-19+at+5.22.02+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1786" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDa6epnbwFH6L52aBQMCaRN0voPqVuXZXD9HFvOhi0JgzBW3ZFFd8CQ-xf5gBtSIT5owAXSP4h4BDWsb3ufSlRJP6MYojh7XzmWME60OpdRBBnor5cXyDYWASFSVio0eO_QezWNqu9lXik/w640-h384/Screen+Shot+2021-05-19+at+5.22.02+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><h1 style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">FOLLOW ME ON</span></h1><h1 style="line-height: 1.2; 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margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Steven Paul Leivahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09743140911542210680noreply@blogger.com0