I'M THIS WEEK'S GUEST ON THE ROCKING SELF-PUBLISHING PODCAST

LISTEN UP! I'm the guest on this week's Rocking Self-Publishing Podcast which is produced and run by the awesome Simon Whistler. Over the course of an hour or so, we chat about writing a book set in the 1950s, making awesome book trailers and about the FIGHT CARD series in general. You also hear an early audio version of my novella 'Front Page Palooka.' Check it out HERE. Tw...

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'BEING GEORGE' DOCUMENTARY, QUIRKY & COMPELLING (VIDEO)

I have the luxury of working with some of the finest working videographers and documentarians in the news biz. Check out the Star-Ledger's latest short film 'Being George' that probes the quirky fight to be a REAL American Idol. Who knew there was such infighting among George Washington impersonators in the cutthroat competition to re-enact his crossing of the Delaware? Grab some java or a nice, cold drink because this is a compelling watch... ~Enjoy...

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'MOB CITY' REVIEW: IS IT REALLY NOIR?

LEADING MAN? John Bernthal in 'Mob City' I've made mention of it here before... It seems that every TV network wants a piece of that retro pie. This time, TNT is throwing its hat into the ring with their ambitious three-week event 'Mob City' that's scheduled to air Dec. 4. Based on the John Buntin non-fiction book 'L.A. Noir,' the six-episode drama depicts the Los Angeles department's secret unit of cops and the brutal (and famous) gangsters...

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MY INTERVIEW WITH CRIME WRITER PAUL D. BRAZILL

My inner-noir tough guy when I spoke with crime writer Paul D. Brazill. As part of the rollout of my FIGHT CARD novella 'Front Page Palooka,' I chatted with prolific blogger and crime writer Paul Brazill (author of the great 'Roman Dalton, Werewolf, P.I.' among others). In our zippy interview, we chat about my Bogie-inspired newshound, Nick Moretti – charming, yet cynical, burned-out, whiskey-sodden – the kinda old-school guy who makes sure the...

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MY BOOK - 'FRONT PAGE PALOOKA' - HAS ARRIVED

It's finally here's folks... It's been a looooong time coming and the primary reason that I haven't kept this godforsaken blog updated. MY BOOK HAS ARRIVED. I hope it was worth the wait. If you dig pulp fiction, noir and anything hard-boiled, than this boxing tale is for you. The e-book  cover for FRONT PAGE PALOOKA "FRONT PAGE PALOOKA" is my entry into the writer's cooperative FIGHT CARD BOOKS started by Paul Bishop and Mel Odom. While...

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHARLES BUKOWSKI

Happy birthday to novelist and poet of skid row - Charles Bukowski - who was born on this day in 1920 ... To celebrate,once again, let's take another look at the incredible Bukowski documentary "Born into This," streaming in its entirety. ~Thanks, Hank, for all the inspiration you've given us... As a bonus, check out this heartfelt short film based on Bukowski's poem "Nirvana." The melancholy postcard film is directed by Patrick Bieseman...

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WRITING MY NOVELLA: OBSERVATIONS, NOTES AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED

I learned many things about the book writing process, namely it should have taken me less time. I just submitted my completed manuscript for the FIGHT CARD novella 'Union of the Snakes' to Paul Bishop for editing. It will be out later this year (perhaps Fall) and I will keep everyone updated with details regarding its release. That said, I want to share eighteen observations that I made about my writing process, specifically for this project....

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAYMOND CHANDLER ... SOME NOIR PRESENTS

Noir grandfather Raymond Chandler would have been 125 years old. Raymond Chandler, one of of noir's most influential and prolific writers would have turned 125 on July 23. To celebrate the man and his legacy, enjoy the following 'gifts' ... A BEHIND-THE-SCENES DOCUMENTARY ON THE MAKING OF 'DOUBLE INDEMNITY' Enjoy this 37-minute treasure trove of the quintessential film noir 'Double Indemnity,' co-written by Chandler and director Billy Wilder....

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'MAGIC CITY' SEASON 2: HAS IT IMPROVED?

Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Olga Kurylenko as Ike and Vera Evans in 'Magic City.' I was a tad disappointed last April when I gave my initial thoughts about the ambitious Starz series "Magic City." The show reminded me of the student who could easily snag straight A's if he just applied himself. The fact of the matter was that the show had so much going for it that it was a shame to see it lack in such key areas. The freshman show, set in glamorous...

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VINTAGE BOWLING ALLEYS : AN UNLIKELY COMFORT

I don't bowl, yet anyone that knows me will quickly admit that I love bowling shirts (a weakness). I'm not in a league and I don't plan to be anytime soon. So why am I even bringing this up? I recently attended a birthday party for one of my little guy's school mates at a local bowling alley and I must admit that it was quite an experience. Before I go any further, let me just say that a bowling alley is the dumbest place to have a...

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'CALIFORNICATION': WHY HANK MOODY IS MY HERO

“I’m a writer. I think, I type, I drink. Lather, rinse, repeat. Far as I’m concerned, art’s just a guy from Brooklyn.” – Hank Moody I must admit that "Californication" (which returned last Sunday on Showtime for a sixth season) escaped me when it debuted in the summer of 2007. Truthfully, it seems like an eternity ago. After all, Showtime wasn't exactly the place you went to for cutting-edge TV. Or so I thought. SIGN UP TO MY LIST!SUBSCRIBE: Did...

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