Dec 27, 2005

Here comes 2006

Can you here it? That rumbling noise is 2006 just waiting to poke out it's head.

2005 was pretty good with the exception of my Father's health. However 2006 looks like it will be great.

So New Year's Eve....
Ruth and I are long past the thrill of crowded bars and restraunts on this insane night so we are staying home and watching movies and eating homemade pizza.

We have a stack of new DVDs to view including a warped little show called PROFIT that just came out on disc.
So what are you doing to ring in the New Year?

Dec 21, 2005

joy of the season

I saw my wife toss a copy of The Rockford Files season 1 into our cart ay Best Buy.
I tried to be casual and cool and not notice.

The we got home and she wrapped it and wrote her Dad's name on it.

Shit.

Santa? I still need the Rockford Files dude!

Dec 16, 2005

Twas The Week Before Christmas

and all though our house
every creature is stirring
of that have no doubt

What happened to 2005
Where has it gone?
It just started last week and now it's out.

This year has flown by in flurry of days leaving behind a blur of memories. Everytime I get a copy of Crimespree off to th printre it seems like another deadline is on me, Instead of our usual slowdown at Jordan Machinery we are getting busier and I'm working more. We have had more snow this winter already than we did all of last winter. I'm just starting to think about shopping and the big day is only a week away!

We did a lot this year. Two trips to Baltimore for me, three for Ruth. We went to New York, Chicago three times, Omaha, Munster Indiana. Muncie Indiana and a couple other places that escape me at the moment.

We've had ups and downs. Jennifer got her first check for writing. The magazine keeps doing better and better. THe family business id picking up and Ruth got a promotion.

And though my Dad was really doing poorly for quite a while, things are looking a bit up again. Fingers crossed.

It looks like we might have a weekend all to ourselves in about three weeks. This will be one of four this year. No complaints because we had a wonderful time with everyone we saw and did things with. But boy, we sure seems to be spending a lot less time doing nothing.

We did see Aerosmith the other night. That was really great. Rick Neilson from Cheap Trick joined them on stage for a song. In the Dictionary under Rock and Roll it should say "play Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith".

Ok, I'm off to drop off Ruth, go to work, run to the bank, the post office and then shopping, pick up Ruth do more shopping then come home and clean and write some reviews.....

Must make more coffee.....

Dec 11, 2005

CRIMESPREE MAGAZINE YEAR END POLLING for 2005

We asked for votes and we got them.
It was really close this year but we have our winners.
At the Crimespree party at the next Bouchercon we'll be handing plaques to:
John Galligan for BLOODKNOT
and Lee Child for ONE SHOT


The winners:
Favorite Book Of the Year:

John Galligan – BLOODKNOT

2nd:
Michael Connelly - THE LINCOLN LAWYER
John Connolly – BLACK ANGEL
Laura Lippman – POWER OF THE THREE
Duane Swierczynski – THE WHEELMAN
3rd:
Lee Child – ONE SHOT
Reed Farrel Coleman – THE JAMES DEANS
Michael Connelly – THE CLOSERS
Zoë Sharp – FIRST DROP.
Don Winslow – POWER OF THE DOG
4th:
Charlie Huston – SIX BAD THINGS
Simon Kernick – A GOOD DAY TO DIE
William Kent Krueger – MERCY FALLS
JD Rhodes – THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND
5th:
Mark Billingham – BURNING GIRL
Ken Bruen – The MAGDALYN MARTYRS
Jan Burke – BLOODLINES
Blake Crouch – LOCKED DOORS
Greg Hurwitz – TROUBLESHOOTER
JA Konrath – BLOODY MARY
Louise Ure – FORCING AMARYLLIS
Ian Rankin – FLESHMARKET ALLEY/CLOSE
James Sallis – DRIVE


Best Contribution to an Ongoing Series

Lee Child – ONE SHOT

2nd
Barry Eisler – KILLING RAIN
3rd –
Michael Connelly – THE CLOSERS
4th
Ken Bruen – THE MAGDALYN MARTYRS
JA Konrath – BLOODY MARY
5th
Jan Burke – BLOODLINES
Blake Crouch – LOCKED DOORS
Simon Kernick – A GOOD DAY TO DIE
William Kent Kreuger – MERCY FALLS
Karin Slaughter – FAITHLESS
John Sanford – BROKEN PREY

There were an awful lot of great books this year and voting was close. Thanks to every one who voted!

Dec 8, 2005

It's a typical winter day

And to prove me right, I woke up to sounds from my wife commenting on the joys of a water heater which does not heat water. As it turns out my plans for work today were changed a bit.....


It seems like issue # 9 of Crimespree finally showed up. The postoffice claims freakish amounts of catalogs were the reason for the delay, I do't care I just don't want it to happen again. #10 being laid out as we speak, last minute tweaking and reviewing abound.


I have done no xmas shopping yet. None.

We were in New York last week as you may have summised from Ruth's post.

What to get fo my wife....hmmmmmmm

The Art Bar




Xmas in Manhatten, too cool. Ask the funny man by the lingere store, he'll tell you how great it is.

We arrive Wed Nov 30th, and headed toward Rockafeller Center, were turned away due to monstous crowds for the tree lighting, we ate at Planet Hollywood in Times Sqaure and watched it on TV. The food was crap, but not all that expensive. Pretty bland menu for such a hot chain.
Thursday we walked, alot, and shopped. FAO Shwartz is really great and the whole day was fun. W even stopped at The Strand. Holy Shit do they have a lot of books.That night we went to The Art Bar to meet some friends, including Reed Coleman and Michel Martinez who are in the picture, also there were Margery Flax and her husband, Chris Grabbenstien, Gabriel Cohen,Lauren Henderson, Dave White, Mary Reagan, Sarah Weinman, Jason Starr, Ben (wide awake) Leroy and a number of other people. A wonderful time was had by all. At least that's what they said...

Friday, coffee with Keith Snyder. Did you know that New York has Starbucks? Ever two freaking blocks they have Starbucks! Any way, it was great to see Keith. Then off to lunch with Maggie Griffin and Alafair Burke, followed by a trip to Partners In Crime bookstore. That night w had dinner with SJ Rozan and went to see the play Coronado. Wonderful evening. And if those two old people whose doorbell I rang read this, sorry I scared you....

Saturday, souvenier shopping and book shopping at Partners. Also great hot dogs. Then off to the arport and home to bed.

Eveyone one was nice except one freak who screamed at us from a car. As it turned out, it was Reed.....

I want to go back when it's warm.

Dec 4, 2005

Coronado

Theatre can be magical. The Invisible City Theatre Company production of CORONADO is just that. It is also the most intimate and visceral experience I’ve had at a play in years.

A small stage on MacDougal. A Honky-Tonk. The waitress reads a book between customers. Enter Will and Gina, our first duo. And immediately the audience is transported to another reality by director David Epstein and the Invisible City Theatre Company. Two hours of eavesdropping upon a series of conversations. Lust and dreams, evil and regret.

The cast is to member unforgettable. The unfolding story is impossible to take your eyes off of. The sparseness of the production adds to the strength of the play. The palpable hunger between actors Lance Rubin and Rebecca Miller gives way to the sadly contemporary and sexually complicated relationship between Kathleen Wallace and Jason MacDonald. When players Gerry Lehane and Avery Clark take the stage they command your attention. Their hatred is peeled away one layer at a time until all that is left is a climax both inevitable and heartbreaking. Dan Patrick Brady’s portrayal of Hal is letter perfect. Maggie Bell’s Gwen is a brilliant mixture of youthful strength and worldly naiveté. An intelligent, passionate, often desperate and sometimes humorous evening of theatre. CORONADO is not to be missed.

Novelist Dennis Lehane has written fantastic raw material. Known in the literary world for his ability to do dialog like no other and use that dialog to forward plot, the jump to playwright has proven seamless. David Epstein has taken a terrific cast and left his stamp as a director on that material with a signature that will be hard to match. With a Florida production in the works, and film rights sold Coronado may well change but the theatre on MacDougal has proven it doesn’t need to.

Artistic Directors Elizabeth Horn, Maggie Bell and David Epstein possess a creative energy that must be nurtured and watched. I strongly suggest that everyone who enjoys an evening of great theatre follow this Company. They’ve got a lot to say and they need to be heard.
Visit ICTC at
  • Invisible Theatre Company
  • and read more about Coronado at
  • Coranado The Play
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