tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10970513901881883002024-03-08T01:40:22.634-08:00Philadelphia Cruelties<a href="http://www.tonyknighton.com">Visit My Website</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-50602017030695282562019-01-24T09:58:00.000-08:002019-01-24T09:59:02.780-08:00Review of Twerk by Isobel Blackthorn<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<o:p> </o:p> <i> Twerk</i>
Is Tit-tilatingly good and Ass-toundingly fun.
Like most men, I enjoy having my prurient interests aroused, and this
novel did not disappoint.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
am loath to give away any part of a story’s plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust me that this is a good one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has it all: murder, intrigue, violence and
yes, lots of sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Blackthorn writes
well and seems a master (mistress? – just trying to keep in the spirit of
things) of the slow build.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No premature
climax here (sorry, I couldn’t resist).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most importantly to me, she writes clearly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Beyond
all that, the novel does something unique; it documents a stripper’s job and
what it’s like to live the life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Get
this.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-20083075995568497982018-05-09T05:05:00.002-07:002018-05-09T05:05:15.059-07:00Her name Is Mercie by Chris Roy<span style="background-color: #f1f0f0; color: #4b4f56; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each time I thought I had this story figured, I hit another hairpin curve.
Do your best to hold on 'cause this is one sick ride - but don't worry - Mercie handles like a bossed up Dodge Challenger.
Mister Roy has outdone himself!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-9362218506258388612017-12-06T12:02:00.001-08:002017-12-06T12:03:05.481-08:00Dirtbags by Eryk Pruitt<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some people are just not intended to think for
themselves. Oh, the mischief that ensues
when they try.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eryk Pruitt’s novel <i>Dirtbags</i>
is both an experiment in terror and hilarity, made all the more so by the
plausibility of the story. The
characters seem more that believable – you’ve met these fuckers – at work, in a
bar room, shit – you may be related to some of them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do yourself a favor.
Drop everything else and read this book.
You’ll only want to read everything else this guy’s written. I know I do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-25247157189156916352017-12-06T08:30:00.000-08:002017-12-06T08:30:14.943-08:00Skull Meat by Tom Leins <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Skull Meat </i>is a
wild ride – a man on a mission tale that you can’t put down. I read this in one sitting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mister Leins doesn’t go in for over long descriptions. Instead, he puts you right there with his
protagonist with deft touches.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This book is great fun.
Get it!<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-35337150792732556092017-12-06T08:28:00.002-08:002017-12-06T08:28:57.413-08:00Where The Sun Shines Out by Kevin Catalano<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Where The Sun Shines
Out </i>is Kevin Catalano’s debut novel, a story of a child’s abduction, murder
and a brother’s survivor guilt. I won’t
give away any more than that. Trust me,
this book satisfies.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mister Catalano’s writing is expert and lush. Here, he has given us more than a
thriller. His novel has real depth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read this. I look
forward to more from Mister Catalano and you will too.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-52509699722355331032017-09-06T06:54:00.001-07:002017-09-06T06:54:25.927-07:00Down On The Street by Alec Cizak<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I’ve read and enjoyed Mister
Cizak’s short stories. His collection <i>Crooked Roads</i> is impressive, and I’ve
looked forward to his longer work. <i>Down On The Street</i> doesn’t disappoint.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Lester Banks is barely breaking
even, working long hours driving a cab, abused by his employer, passengers, the
world itself. He’s not enjoying much in
his life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
An unlikely hook-up with an
attractive neighbor gets Lester thinking about a way out of his rut. It works, for a while.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Mister Cizak’s writing is lean and
to the point. He gives the reader a
story without any fluff or filler.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
You can’t go wrong with this guy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-38363758750314488872017-08-07T09:09:00.000-07:002017-08-07T09:09:34.407-07:00Silent City by Alex Segura<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<i>Silent
City</i> is the first book in Alex Segura’s Pete Fernandez series, and it’s a
fine opener. Early in the story,
Fernandez, a sports writer for the Miami Times, is in a tailspin – missing
deadlines, drinking too much, disappointing his friends and himself. Close to being fired, he’s approached by an
acquaintance and asked to locate the man’s missing daughter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Mister Segura’s writing is lush,
but always clear – you feel you are there in the newsroom, the bars, and the
streets of Miami as Fernandez alternately stumbles and recovers, trying first
to hold onto his life and then to reinvent himself, all while searching for the
missing woman.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I look forward to the rest of this
series and more from Alex Segura.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-9033560821910965182017-05-17T11:35:00.000-07:002017-05-17T11:37:27.219-07:00Life in a Haunted House by Norman Prentiss<div class="MsoNormal">
My mother believed that high school graduations were sad
occasions. “For a lot of kids, those
were the worst years of their lives, and for a few others,” she’d say, “those
were the best.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This book is about the former. Broadly, what it’s like to be obsessed by an
artist, in this case a motion picture director; how easily we misunderstand
people, especially our friends; and how horrible it can be to be a teenager in
high school.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s also about a son desperate to forge a connection with
his father.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have long been a fan of Mister Prentiss. This latest effort does not disappoint. As always, his writing is elegant. He is capable of absolute emotional truth
without a gram of sentimentality.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Get this book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Disclaimer: I gladly received an advanced review copy of
this book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-83902913396401257112017-05-17T11:30:00.002-07:002017-05-17T11:30:16.584-07:00Crooked Roads by Alec Cizak<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m partial to good short stories. My only complaint with <i>Crooked Roads</i> was that I read the collection too quickly and wanted
more. I don’t like to give away plot –
trust me – these stories satisfy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mister Cizak’s writing is blunt. He gets to the point. I can’t wait to read more of his stuff.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Get this book. You
won’t be sorry.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-40507733428100511312017-03-29T07:50:00.003-07:002017-03-29T07:50:32.980-07:00Noir at the Bar CrawlI'll be in Baltimore, MD on May 21st.<br />
<br />
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154417668733316&set=gm.1731342653823833&type=3&theater<br />
<br />
More information soon.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-35139724727182691502017-03-08T12:06:00.003-08:002017-03-08T12:11:09.284-08:00Graveyard Love by Scott Adlerberg<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting
Mister Adlerberg, and while discussing fiction, he said, “I like creepy.” He wasn’t kidding. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
This is the story of a man who’s had
bad luck – so bad that he’s moved in with his mother to ghostwrite her
memoir. Then he sees a woman.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
In <i>Graveyard Love,</i> Adlerberg makes a monstrous character
sympathetic. While this is often
difficult to accomplish, here it seems effortless. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
The writing is elegant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
You won’t go wrong by reading this
book. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-88268266888534763122017-02-09T10:46:00.001-08:002017-02-09T10:46:46.802-08:00Vern in the Heat by Rob Pierce<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Vern is a bagman set up to fail in
a deal gone wrong. The betrayals mount
up, compounding a bad situation. All he
has going for him are his wits and a will to survive.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
This is fast-paced, bare-knuckles
story telling. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Do yourself a favor. Drop everything and read this.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-58339933648739157512017-02-09T10:44:00.004-08:002017-02-09T10:44:59.417-08:00Peckerwood by Jedidiah Ayres <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
This book will change the rural
noir genre from a popular trend to an established literary mainstay. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
The story is told from multiple
points of view, but centers on two characters perhaps best described as afraid
of success.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Ayres' writing is solid. He deftly reshapes conventions and makes them
original. A serious book, there were
still passages that made me laugh out loud.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<i>Peckerwood</i>
is a lot of fun. Get it. You won’t be sorry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-86806231444655672962017-01-14T16:14:00.005-08:002017-01-14T16:14:56.543-08:00Selena by Greg BarthThis book is the first installment in the <i>Selena</i> series from the publisher All Due Respect. Selena is not the typical serial crime fiction character; she's a slight and unimposing woman, but don't under-estimate her - that might be the last mistake you'll ever make.<br />
<br />
Mister Barth writes well - hard charging and fast paced - but he'll also slow things down and get into the protagonist's head, or show us what's going on with other characters.<br />
<br />
I never like to give away any of the story. If you like your fiction served up raw and bleeding, you'll like <i>Selena. </i>Trust me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-74779354454708601412017-01-14T16:03:00.001-08:002017-01-14T16:03:13.925-08:00Calling by Joe Samuel Starnes<i>Calling </i>by Joe Samuel Starnes is a luxurious read. The writing is elegant and lush, and makes use of a cool device - the story within a story.<br />
<br />
The dialogue is first-rate.<br />
<br />
The most enjoyable aspect of this book for me is Mister Starnes' sense of place. He gives the reader the feeling that they were born and raised in the setting.<br />
<br />
I'm looking forward to more from Sam Starnes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-19265505072343851102017-01-07T04:29:00.000-08:002017-01-07T04:29:01.357-08:00The Devil’s Brew by Benedict J. Jones<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I’d been waiting to see what
Charlie Bars would be up to, following his last outing in <i>Pennies for Charon. </i>His
latest, <i>The Devil’s Brew</i>, doesn’t
disappoint; it finds Charlie away from London, off in the sticks, looking for
much needed R&R. Mister Jones sees
to it that Charlie doesn’t get much. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Jones writes action well, and
there’s plenty of it in this story.
Great fun. I can’t wait for his
next.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-54776191032395671072016-12-12T12:29:00.003-08:002016-12-12T12:31:03.066-08:00Wolf Tickets by Ray Banks<div class="MsoNormal">
In a bright spot during what has
been an otherwise crappy year, I was introduced to the writing of Ray Banks,
and have since been roaring through the man’s work. His writing is first-rate – lean and mean.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
So far, my favorite is <i>Wolf Tickets, </i>featuring Farrell and
Cobb, possibly the best pair of heroes/villains I’ve ever encountered in
fiction.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I never like to give away any part
of a story. Suffice it to say that
they’ve been apart for a while and circumstances bring them back together.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I don’t think you can go wrong with
anything Mister Banks has written. Do
yourself a favor and get started, soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-57798674159326416522016-11-07T02:52:00.001-08:002016-11-07T02:52:27.363-08:00Gunshine State by Andrew Nette<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 249.0pt;">
Mr. Nette follows
up his superb novel <i>Ghost Money, </i>with
<i>Gunshine State, </i>a wild ride that
jumps right off with what appears to be a straight piece of work with a nice
payoff for Gary Chance, professional thief and gun for hire. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 249.0pt;">
<i>Gunshine State</i> never lets up – it
escorts the reader through the worlds of drugs, high-rolling gamblers and
amoral soldiers of fortune.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 249.0pt;">
This book is
great fun – get it!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-53595379632890116692016-07-24T14:27:00.000-07:002016-07-24T14:27:31.973-07:00Bernie, Debbie, and Hilary<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I am not surprised by the recent
revelation that the Democratic Party actively worked against Bernie Sanders
during the primaries, and I see it as baldly cynical and self-serving that they
have ousted Wasserman-Schultz, now that the damage to Mister Sanders has been
done.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I am disappointed that Mister
Sanders will not be the Dem’s nominee for president. I think that he is an idealist, and ran for
the office in an effort to change things for the better. I think that Hilary Clinton is a politician
and is running because she wants to be president.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
It is important to keep in mind
that the Democratic Party is a private organization. While it is usually in the party’s best
interest to go with the candidate who puts up the best numbers in the
primaries, the party is not bound by primary election results – they can
nominate whomever they want.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Considering all this, why would
they want Bernie? He has run and served for
decades as an Independent. Yes, he
caucuses with the Dems, and has faithfully championed progressive, liberal
ideals, but he has never done any of what is expected of a party member – made
phone calls, solicited contributions, traveled with and spoken on behalf of
another of the party’s candidates.
Bernie has attempted not just to jump on board, but to go for the top
spot, without ever having done any of these unpleasant tasks – the scut-work –
that a good party member must do. Hilary, and her husband, have done all of
these things.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Bernie wasn’t able to win a simple
majority. Realistically, he needed to
show results that were far and away better than Hilary’s to win the Dems
love. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Suck it up. She’s better than Drumpf.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-84744022107706728462016-07-19T11:17:00.002-07:002016-07-19T11:17:36.952-07:00The Green Party<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
The Green Party is the best thing that has ever happened to the Republican Party. They siphon off votes from, yes, very flawed democrats (Al Gore or H. Clinton), and help elect worse republicans (W. or Drumpf).</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
If the Green Party was for real, they would put their resources behind efforts that were realistic - local seats in town and city councils, for example - and then do the work of governing, and show the electorate at large that they were serious.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Instead, they waste time and money so that the disaffected can feel good about themselves.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-top: 6px;">
I suspect that members of The Green Party really don't want to win anything, because they don't want to do the work and would not deliver on any of their promises.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-2441527381659199392016-03-18T04:53:00.000-07:002016-03-19T02:22:58.585-07:00Workplace Conditions - Part One<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 386.0pt;">
It’s been a while
since I’ve posted anything, and this is a subject that’s nagged at me - the continuing anti-union rhetoric that I hear, and have heard since 1980. An important note: my employers have arbitrarily
deemed it a violation of their rules for any employee to identify him or herself as
such on any “social media” platform. While their mandate is probably illegal, this
is a battle that I choose not to fight here.
I’ll simply say that I am a uniformed employee of a large municipality
in the southeast corner of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 386.0pt;">
On February 17<sup>th</sup>,
1899, a fire broke out in St. John the Evangelist Church, here in my
town. Units responded and fought the
fire. There occurred a partial collapse
of the structure, and three men, William Chance, Hugh Duffy, and George Steinle
were killed. A fourth man, James Shea,
was injured and died two weeks later on March 2<sup>nd</sup>, 1899. The fire was extinguished and the church
saved.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 386.0pt;">
In recent years,
the clergy at St. John’s have generously said mass on the anniversary of the
fire in honor of the men who perished, and invite the men’s descendants and
current members of the first-arriving units.
I have been recently assigned to one of these, and last year I attended
the mass. My thoughts while looking
about the church were essentially that this was a magnificent structure, but
not worth the lives of four men.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 386.0pt;">
This year, as the
date of the mass approached, I thought again about the fire and loss of life,
and realized that my initial conclusion was wrong – that I had based it on
modern standards. In 1899, the only
consideration was to saving the building. No one other than the dead men’s comrades and
families cared about them, because their deaths didn’t cost anyone anything. In 1899, there were no death benefits and no pensions. Unionization didn’t begin to happen in my
job in my town until 1918. These men
had no advocate. In 1899, the only voice
that mattered to their employer was that of the owners of the building in this
case the archdiocese. This attitude was
not unique to the tragedy at St. John. It
played out again and again during this era, often resulting in multiple
deaths. Four men died in a building
collapse on January 24<sup>th</sup>, 1918; six on July 12<sup>th</sup>, 1919; thirteen
on December 10<sup>th</sup>, 1910. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 386.0pt;">
These were not stupid
men, nor were their bosses. A hundred
years ago, just like now, people knew that if a building burned long enough, it
would fall down. Again, these men died
because their deaths didn’t cost anyone anything. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 386.0pt;">
Safety in the
workplace is never achieved through the benevolence of your employer. It only happens when it will cost someone
more to run a dangerous shop than a safe one.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 386.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Show me a job that’s unionized and
I’ll show you a job that used to suck. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-18979735719390367642015-11-11T15:56:00.002-08:002015-11-11T16:00:47.217-08:00Happy Hour and Other Philadelphia Cruelties - giveaway!<div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget162910">
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<h2 style="color: #555555; font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0 0 10px !important; padding: 0 !important; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway
</h2>
<div style="float: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27803617"><img alt="Happy Hour and Other Philadelphia Cruelties by Tony Knighton" src="https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/111x148-bcc042a9c91a29c1d680899eff700a03.png" title="Happy Hour and Other Philadelphia Cruelties by Tony Knighton" width="100" /></a>
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<h3 style="font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0; padding: 0;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27803617">Happy Hour and Other Philadelphia Cruelties</a>
</h3>
<h4 style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0 0 10px; padding: 0;">
by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14068249.Tony_Knighton" style="text-decoration: none;">Tony Knighton</a>
</h4>
<div class="giveaway_details">
Giveaway ends November 26, 2015.
<br />
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/162910" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
at Goodreads.
</div>
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<a class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink" href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/162910">Enter Giveaway</a>
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<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/162910" type="text/javascript"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-39131123122836315612015-09-15T09:57:00.001-07:002015-09-15T09:58:20.940-07:00Crime Fiction and PhiladelphiaMy friend Paul Brazill, crime fiction writer extraordinaire from across the pond, has generously invited me to post a piece about the home town on his cool, cool blog:<br />
<br />
http://pauldbrazill.com/2015/09/02/guest-blog-crime-fiction-and-philadelphia-by-tony-knighton/<br />
<br />
I hope that you enjoy it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-59979946032984247792015-08-27T06:57:00.000-07:002015-08-27T06:57:20.284-07:00Guest Post: Lisa ReganNote: A few weeks ago, my friend and fellow Philadelphia fiction writer, Lisa Regan, generously invited me to post my ramblings on her cool, cool blog:<br />
<br />
http://www.lisaregan.com/blog.php.<br />
<br />
She has graciously sent me this piece about publishing. There's some great advice here for us all.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I often have the pleasure of meeting new and aspiring writers. I
get this question so much that I figured it was worth a blog post. It goes a
little something like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I just finished my first book! How do I
get it published?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before you can even<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><u>think<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></u>about publication, you should make
sure you've done a few things:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">1. Had your book critiqued or beta read by at least 2-4 people. I
prefer something closer to 8-10, especially for a first book, but I know how
hard it is to find people to critique or beta read your book, especially people
who are going to be honest with you about whether it stinks or not. If you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>really<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>can't find anyone who is willing
to take an honest look at your work, there are now a ton of freelance editors
out there who will do it for a fee. Many people cannot afford this, but it is
an option.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">2. Gone over it dozens of times to check for trouble spots, tense
shifts, bad grammar, errors, typos, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">3. Made sure the word document you're about to send out into the
world is formatted correctly. This might seem like a no-brainer, but not every
new writer is spit out into the creative world knowing how to format a
manuscript.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You can find critique partners/beta readers online or at a local
writer's group. Freelance editors can also be found online. Do not ask your
favorite NYT bestselling author if he or she can read it. They don't have time
and they're usually prohibited from doing so by their publishers for legal
reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Okay, so now let's say you've got a solid first book with few to no
typos in it and you want to know what do you have to do to get published?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Fifteen, twenty years ago, even ten years ago when I started
querying, there was really only one answer to this question: get a literary
agent who will sell your book to a publisher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Today, the landscape of the publishing world is so vastly
different. There are a couple of different paths you can take and the answer to
your question, "How do I get it published?" is really a personal
question that only you can answer. It really depends on what is a good fit for
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Traditional<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You have to write an awesome query letter, send it to a bunch of
literary agents and hope one of them will offer you a contract. If you can get
an agent, said agent will then pitch your book to various publishers (this is
the dreaded "being on submissions") until, hopefully, a publisher
will offer a contract to publish your book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Pros: </span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I always hear that a pro of having a
publisher is "the legitimacy" of it. This is still very important to
many writers although I have actually never come across a reader discussion
about whether or not a particular author self-published or had a publisher. I
think one of the main pros of going traditional is that an agent is going to
get you access to larger publishers. That doesn't mean that the big houses will
take your book but having an agent will at least get your book in front of
editors at big houses. Large publishers don't typically take unagented
submissions. Some small publishers will take unagented submissions though and
if you wanted to, you could take your awesome query letter and send it directly
to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another potential pro is the marketing reach that large publishers
have to offer. Larger publishers usually have their own in-house publicists
and/or marketing departments that will work to make sure your book is seen by a
large number of readers. Large publishers will have access to certain things
that some small publishers or a self-published author may find it difficult to
obtain. For example, if you self-publish, you're not going to find your book
reviewed in People Magazine--not unless you have E.L. James-type success. Other
reviewers, like Kirkus, won't review your book if it's published by you or a
small press unless you pay them a great deal of money. Even your local
newspaper may not review your book if you're published by a small press or if
you are self-published. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A publisher pays for everything. Nothing comes out of your pocket.
Cover art, editing, the whole nine yards. These things can be extremely costly
if you’re going it alone. Also your book will absolutely be edited. No
publisher is going to send a book out into the world without it having been
edited. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Finally, a big pro is the print distribution. If you self-publish,
it is extremely unlikely that you'll find your book on the shelves of any
bookstore unless you go to that store and specifically request that it be
stocked. Even then, you may run into resistance. With a large publishing house,
you're much more likely to find your book on bookstore shelves. Even some small
presses will get their books on bookstore shelves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The one caveat I would add has to do with small publishers: all
small presses are different. They do not all necessarily offer the same things.
Some small presses are imprints of larger publishers and thus, they may have
more marketing or more print distribution. Some small presses only publish
e-books. Many small presses will offer your book in print but not in stores. A
copy will only be printed if someone orders one either online or from a store.
You may be able to walk into a bookstore and ask for your book to be
special-ordered but basically, for a reader to get a print copy of your book,
it's going to have to be ordered and delivered at a later date. There won't be
any walking into a store and picking it up. Something to consider. Some small
presses offer a small amount of marketing, some offer none at all. Depending on
what a small press can offer you, you might be better off self-publishing. So
if you find yourself in a position where you need to decide whether to sign
with a small press or not, you want to research them very carefully. How many
titles do they put out a year? Do they have any print distribution at all? What
do they offer in terms of marketing/advertising? Do they have an in-house
publicist? How well have their other titles performed? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The cons:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> You may lose a lot of creative control
when you have a publisher. There is always a chance that you can end up with a
final product that wasn't what you had envisioned at all. During the editing
process, many things can change. Then when it comes time for cover design, you
could end up with something you do not like at all. I'm not saying this will
happen, only that it is a possibility. Perhaps an even bigger con is that your
book could fall through the cracks. It might not get the level of marketing
that other books on the publisher's list get. Then it might not sell as many
copies and when it doesn't sell well, the publisher may refuse to put anymore
marketing money behind it. So you can't get any advertising because it's not
selling but you can't sell because it's not getting any advertising. It's a
tough spot to be in. Again, not saying this will happen but it could. Finally,
if you've only got a one-book contract and you're writing a series: if your
first book doesn't sell as many copies as the publisher would like, they might
not take on the next book in the series. Then you're in a tough spot because
not many publishers will take a sequel to a book that another publisher turned
down because the first one didn't do well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I'm sure there are many more pros and cons to going traditional
but this is just to give you a few ideas as to what types of things to consider
when you're deciding which route to go. Consider this an extremely broad
overview.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Indie<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If you don't go traditional or legacy as it's now called, you can
go indie, or self-publish. This means that you put the book out all by your
lonesome. There's not as much of a stigma attached to this anymore. In fact,
many long-time, extremely successful legacy authors are self-pubbing some of
their titles now. The cool thing is that there are so many freelance services
out there today that if you're willing to put out some money up-front, you can
get a great cover, find an excellent editor and copy-editor and find someone to
format your book for digital and print editions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The pros:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> You're in control of everything. You will
end up with a product you're happy with because you will be the person making
every decision. Your book will never fall through the cracks because you'll be
in charge of marketing it. You'll never be at the mercy of some marketing
department with 50 other titles in their queue. You won't have to wait to plan
a sale or promotion, you can do it any time you'd like. You set your own price
and you make your own production schedule. No one is going to turn down your
next title. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You make all the money! You're not giving a percentage of your
writing income to an agent or publisher. If you manage to sell a lot of books,
this becomes a huge advantage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The cons: </span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You're in control of everything. It can be
very stressful being responsible for every single thing that goes into
publishing a book. It's not an easy or inexpensive process. It will be your job
to hire a cover artist, editor, copy-editor, formatter and it will be your job
to line up marketing. It can become very costly. Marketing opportunities are
more limited for a self-published author. Also, the indie market is extremely
competitive. It can be hard to stand-out among so many other indie books. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It can be very tempting to either skip the editorial process
altogether or skimp on it when you’re self-publishing. No one is going to force
you to have your book edited. Freelance editors are not cheap and you’ll want
an editor who will address both content (i.e. How well does the book hold
together? Are there gaping plot holes? Are the characters well-developed? How
is the pacing?) and things like grammar, punctuation, et cetera. You should not
have your friend with an English degree read your book and tell you it looks
fine. You should hire someone who is experienced in the industry and has edited
a lot of other books, preferably books in your genre. But as I said, it will be
very costly if you want it done right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Again, this is a broad overview. The publishing industry is
extremely complex and it is constantly changing. Whether you go traditional or
indie, I would recommend doing a helluva lot of research before beginning your
publishing journey. As you can see, the answer to the question: how do I get my
book published? is not one I can answer for you--it depends very much on which
option appeals to you the most. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1097051390188188300.post-44481348553928824162015-08-21T03:18:00.001-07:002015-09-15T10:01:48.463-07:00Seven Suggestions for Writing Crime FictionMy friend, and fellow Philadelphia crime fiction writer Lisa Regan, generously invited me to post my two-cents worth on her blog:<br />
<br />
http://www.lisaregan.com/blog/writing-tips-from-author-tony-knighton<br />
<br />
Her stuff is cool. Check it out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16279364974890487397noreply@blogger.com0