This is Part 2 of a three-part series. If you haven't already, be sure to check out Part 1. Inspired by Google’s Find Your Scene commercial, these are movie locations I’ve actually visited. For this entry, I’m sticking with the East Coast. Jaws’ Town (Martha’s Vineyard)If you love Jaws and…
I absolutely love Google’s new Find Your Scene commercial. Especially because my family and I have actually been to some of the ones shown, plus a good handful more. Many of which I have detailed below. For the most part, this list doesn’t count places like Times Square, Columbus Circle, and…
As I mentioned in Part I, this second group of studios isn’t necessarily open to the general public. I’ve listed them in order of difficulty to visit, starting with the easiest. But only relatively speaking. The Walt Disney Companyhttps://d23.com/d23-event/studio-tours-2020/ This is my favorite studio lot, largely for sentimental reasons. It…
The Metropolitan Pictures lot in The City Burns at Night is loosely based on Paramount Studios. Originally, I’d based it on MGM, but when I was working on City Burns one day and plotting out Miller’s path from Schwab’s to the Studio to Beverly Hills, it just made more sense geographically to…
Last night I had the absolute pleasure of appearing on Art Sippo's ArtsReview's podcast, in which we talked about pulp, The Black Spectre, period TV shows, and the appendix!
Now available exclusively from Amazon: A crusading reporter out to prove her worth. A hero in denial about his. When a Mob Boss is gunned down by police, Daily Crusader reporter Vicky Rose is the only one who suspects he was unarmed. Desperate to justify her promotion to the crime…
Now available exclusively from Amazon via Kindle Worlds:
After spending a holiday weekend in New York with Piz, Veronica gets an unexpected surprise back at Quantico: the FBI actually hands her a case! A New Agent Trainee needs to hire a PI to track down his wife’s cyberstalker.
Already at odds with her past, Veronica is reluctant to take the case. Even her supervisor, Agent Long, warns her against it. But how can she turn down someone who’s devoting his life to keep America secure?
As usual, she can’t work on Bureau time or use their resources. Which is even more challenging than usual, because she and the other interns are going on a two-day field trip to FBI Headquarters itself.
Here’s a preview of this book on Kindle
Read the First Chapter
Now available exclusively from Amazon via Kindle Worlds: Veronica has just completed the second week of her internship with the FBI in Quantico, VA. After hopping on the train to New York City for a three-day weekend with Piz, she notices something odd. A middle-aged man is overly anxious and drinking heavily. She’s…
Now available exclusively from Amazon: Reporter Vicky Rose wants desperately to move up from City Hall to the crime beat. When the Mayor of Terminal City is murdered one night in his office, she sees her chance. Even though it smells of a Mob hit, all evidence points to someone…
A Black Spectre Adventure
SPRING was in the air. The time when men and women alike are consumed with thoughts of love and romance. The citizens of Terminal City all walked with an extra bounce in their step, a new twinkle in the eye. L’amour! Its spell was inescapable.
For everyone except Charlie Hecht.
Charlie threw back another swig of bourbon. He let it settle in the back of his throat for just a moment, then swallowed it down slowly to let the alcohol do its magic. It had been a rough day. One of the biggest stories of his career had just fallen apart on him (turned out his source had been lying through her false teeth). But that wasn’t what was really nagging at him. No, this one was a matter of personal pride that just cut him to the heart.
“Thought I’d find you here,†Ben Gelbert, fellow reporter at the Terminal City Standard, muttered through his chomped cigar as he meandered into O’Doule’s Bar, their usual hangout.
Charlie poured himself another drink from the bottle he’d purchased.
Gelbert bellied his squat girth up beside him. Against Charlie’s lean (if oily) good looks, they were the picture of opposites. “What’s eating you, Pal?†Gelbert asked.
“I’ve lost my touch, Benny Boy. Afraid I’m all washed up,†Charlie confessed. “Might as well send me out to pasture. I’m thinkin’ of joinin’ the priesthood.â€
Gelbert shook his round head in disbelief. Not this again. Dames. And he knew just the one, too.
“I’ve tried everything — charm, flowers, jewelry, charm. Everything. But can’t seem to turn that doll’s head,†Charlie lamented. “Maybe I just don’t got it no more.â€
“Vicky Rose,†Gelbert muttered under his breath. A rose by any other name. And that auburn-haired minx was their top rival over at the Crusader. Who’d have believed it?
“What does she even see in that bookworm she’s been tied to?†Charlie wondered aloud. “How could she turn me down for a guy like that?â€
“Charlie, look. You been going about this all wrong.†Gelbert stopped and shook his head at the irony of the situation. “I can’t believe I’m giving advice on dames to a guy like you. You make Casanova look like a rank amateur. But you been going about this all wrong. The rules don’t apply with this doll.â€
“Whatd’ya mean?†Charlie asked.